The Counter Invasion
by Jay 2K Winger
Summary: CHAPTER 28 IS UP! The Storm has broken Stone Cold's neck. The Gemini continue to cause problems, and who's the Alliance's fourth entrant in the Women's Title Tournament? (RR please!)
1. Amassing the Forces

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This goes from the end of "Raging Storm" (late August, post-Summerslam) up to around late December, around, during, and after the PPV there.  
  
Summary: When Shane and Stephanie's Alliance runs rampant over the WWF, Billy Rose decides to level the playing field.  
  
Teaser: A recap of what transpires from Summerslam as the invasion takes place, with a force of nature and an act of God trying to stop it.  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Roger "Zed" Ziger, Mike "Zeta" Zahn, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission.  
  
**Chapter 1: Amassing the Forces  
  
September**  
After his victory over his longtime nemesis Billy Rose at _Summerslam_, Matthew Skinner, aka The Storm, spent a couple of weeks recuperating from his grueling Hell in a Cell match. For the first week, he was off TV, as were Brick and Rain, while Zed & Zeta basked in their own win over seven-time Tag Team Champions Edge & Christian in their Ladder Match. Rose was likewise absent, brooding over his humiliation and the defection of all his loyal supporters, save Rhyno.  
  
During the month of September, many changes took place within the World Wrestling Federation. Shane had disappeared off TV when Vince went into another one of his evil, power-tripping moods, firing Mick Foley as Commissioner and replacing him with William Regal. The young McMahon made his disapproval of his father's actions plain in an in-ring promo, then left.  
  
Meanwhile, as Viper and Rattler left the Alliance for personal resasons, internal friction started to break that powerful faction apart. WWF Champion Triple H became more and more paranoid of all the enemies their group had, trying to prevent Test and Soul from teaming up with outside people in matches against others, much as Helmsley had done to Viper when he'd teamed up with Lita in his last match before leaving. Also, the unsettled business Test had with Triple H over Stephanie came up again, and Test was kicked out of the group. Soul left soon thereafter, being something of a loner himself, and Triple H was half-afraid that the mysterious masked man would turn on him without notice.  
  
Meanwhile, the less-powerful but still significant faction of Team ECK started to break up as well, as Kurt Angle split off to pick up his old feud with Chris Benoit. Edge and Christian also went on singles ventures, but Edge got the better end of the stick, defeating Chris Jericho in a match to become #1-contender for the Intercontinental Championship on Test's waist. Christian attempted to help Edge out as the feud progressed between Test and Edge, but tended to only hinder rather than help, but Edge succeeded in winning the title at the _Unforgiven _PPV.  
  
Another major change that took place was the departure of color commentator Jerry "The King" Lawler, as he left for personal reasons. To replace him, Vince McMahon brought in the former owner of ECW, Paul E. Heyman. Heyman took over for color on _Raw _and during PPVs, while Tazz did _Smackdown_.  
  
But the biggest news of September was the buying of WCW. Vince McMahon eagerly agreed to buy his floundering competition, but delayed the signing, wanting to bring Ted Turner himself onto _Raw _to finalize it. Shane McMahon swiftly took advantage and bought WCW right out from under his father's nose. When father and son collided at Unforgiven, Shane got some help from ex-commissioner Mick Foley, allowing Shane-O Mac to deliver what would later be identified as a "Van Terminator" to a trashcan into Vince's face to finish him off for the win.  
  
**October**  
October saw The Storm and Rose return to TV more often. When he first returned to TV back the previous month, The Storm had confirmed that Brick's betrayal of Rose at _Summerslam _was indeed part of the "system" he had referred to for the weeks leading up to it. The Storm himself lacked a major feud and simply hosted the month's PPV from WWF New York, while Rain defended her Women's title against all comers.  
  
Rose returned and tried to go after Triple H and the WWF title again, but Rhyno was unable to be of much help. This led to Rose continuing to berate and blame Rhyno for his losses, until finally the Man-Beast snapped and delivered a Gore (or "GORE! GORE! GORE!" according to Heyman) to the Mental Elite during a #1-contender's match for the WWF title, costing Rose the match to The Rock. This led to a feud between the two former allies, culminating in a no-DQ match at _No Mercy_. During the match, Rhyno had drilled Rose with a few Gores, and looked to finish it with a top-rope splash, but Rose got up, crotched Rhyno by shaking the ropes, then climbed to the top and delivered a deadly top-rope Brain Damage to the Man-Beast, pinning him shortly thereafter to win.  
  
After losing a title match against Triple H, The Rock left the WWF for a long while, apparently succumbing to the call of Hollywood.  
  
Austin picked up a feud against Benoit next, with the Rattlesnake trying to prove he was a skilled technical wrestler, and with the Wolverine trying to prove he can brawl with the best of them. Their intense feud came to a head at _No Mercy_, where Benoit was unfortunately injured when he landed badly on his neck from a top-rope superplex.  
  
Meanwhile, Shane and WCW lurked around the edges of the WWF, with its wrestlers running in during matches and causing havoc. Lance Storm superkicked Perry Saturn in the head during a match with Raven, scrambling the brains of the already-addled former Army Ranger. The Dudleys, who had turned on their little brother Spike when he continued to make advances on Molly Holly, lost a match to the Hardys when Hugh Morrus ran out and delivered his No-Laughing-Matter Moonsault to Bubba Ray. And Steve Blackman, the normally unflappable Lethal Weapon and Hardcore Champion, was distracted by the feminine wiles of Stacy Keibler, enabling Test to throw him a chair, then deliver his massive Big Boot finisher for the win.  
  
**November**  
It was after the _No Mercy _PPV and leading into _Survivor Series_ that things started to get uglier. Someone had been stalking Sara Calloway, the wife of the Undertaker. That stalker turned out to be WCW wrestler Diamond Dallas Page, who eagerly urged the Undertaker to try and make him famous. This led to a confrontation at the November PPV, which the Deadman easily won, sending DDP packing.  
  
Meanwhile, Kurt Angle had taken it upon himself to try and discourage Shane from invading the WWF, running after Shane at every opportunity. They finally collided in a brutal and bloody Street Fight at _Survivor Series_, which Angle won, though he was exhausted and a bit injured himself when all was said and done.  
  
The Storm and Stone Cold teamed up with Zed and Zeta at in a classic Survivor Series match against Edge, Christian and the Dudleys. Zeta was the first eliminated by Edge, following the Buzz Killer DDT. Zed came next after a 3-D. Austin then roared back with a Stunner to Christian to eliminate him, and The Storm hit the Downdraft on D-Von Dudley to eliminate him, taking it back to two-on-two. Austin got eliminated next, thanks to a Spear and a Bubba Bomb. The Force of Nature, however, was not to go down quietly. He eliminated Bubba Ray Dudley with a Windfall, then squared off against Edge for several minutes before finally countering a Buzz Killer and reversing it into the Southern Lightning Driver for the win.  
  
Billy Rose sought to get some respect back for himself by going after the Hardcore title, still held by Test. In their match at _Survivor Series_, Rose put a lot of his focus on Test's shoulder, which he'd injured time and again with the Deadly Blossom over the months, and went for the Brain Damage a couple times, but Test would shove him off. The former bouncer also tried to deliver his Big Boot finisher, but the Californian continued to duck it. Finally, Rose injured the shoulder with a Deadly Blossom hold, then went for the Brain Damage onto a steel chair. Test reversed it into a full nelson slam onto the chair, then pinned Rose to retain his title.  
  
Triple H, meanwhile, had picked up his feud with Chris Jericho again, this time for the WWF title. During the match, Stephanie tried to get involved on her husband's behalf, but Jericho planted a big kiss on her, making her become disgusted and run backstage to cleanse her lips. The big surprise during the match, however, came when WCW Champion Booker T jumped out of the crowd and attacked the Game, delivering an Axe Kick and then throwing Helmsley through the Spanish announce table. Jericho attempted to capitalize, but Triple H kicked out and eventually hit a Pedigree to retain.  
  
The following night, as _Raw _was broadcast from Madison Square Garden, Shane McMahon turned up in WWF New York with Booker T and made an announcement: "You see, Dad, in order to build a brand like WCW, WCW needs television exposure - and Dad, I gotta give you credit on this - I didn't think it was possible... through all of your connections, through everything that you have, through all of your money you have been able to block WCW from airing on ANY television network period. And since you have prevented WCW from airing on any television network period, guess what? It's now time for WCW to _invade _the WWF."_  
  
_That very same night, as Test lost his Hardcore title to Rhyno, WCW wrestler Mike Awesome attacked Rhyno immediately after his match and gave him an Awesome Bomb onto a shipping pallet, then forced the referee to count the pin and steal the title.  
  
**December**  
The next couple of weeks were fast and furious. Lance Storm wandered around the WWF backstage, evading the Federation wrestlers who tried to bar access to WCW. To make matters simpler for his comrades, The Storm started going by "The Storm" Matthew Skinner for his ring name, settling often for just Skinner. Linda McMahon turned up and all but forced Vince to allow Shane and WCW airtime, goading him into making the _Invasion _PPV. In one of the few good matches that WCW aired on WWF TV, Billy Kidman defeated Gregory Helms to capture the WCW Cruiserweight Championship.  
  
Then, less than two weeks from _Invasion_, the Invasion took an ugly turn. As Kane and Jericho took on Lance Storm and Mike Awesome, two men jumped out of the crowd and attacked the WWFers. Those two men, former ECW mainstays Tommy Dreamer and Rob Van Dam, joined Lance and Awesome in beating on the two helpless Federation wrestlers. Then, six of the WWF's roster ran out, apparently to help. But then, as the realization that the WWF "special forces" were Tazz, Justin Credible, Raven, Rhyno, and the Dudleys sank in, Paul Heyman crowed to Jim Ross, "Feel this moment, J.R.! FEEL this moment!" As one, the six WWFers turned to face their 'comrades' and suddenly a ten-on-two beating occurred on Kane and Jericho. Heyman then got up and announced to the world that he was sick and tired of talking about WWF versus WCW, and that it was time to remind the world of the existence of the Tribe of Extreme, that the ten men in the ring and reformed ECW, that "This Invasion just got taken... to the... **_extreme!_**"  
  
That night, Vince was then suckered into helping Shane try to repel the ECW threat by teaming up with him, but this turned out to be a ruse, as WCW and ECW joined forces to defeat the five WWF men who came out to fight. Shane walked out to gloat and made another major announcement, "I _am _personally responsible for all of this! I am personally responsible for WCW - I am personally responsible for ECW being here tonight! And hear me out, listen up, and I am personally responsible for the _merger _of WCW and ECW coming together, tonight! So Dad, at _Invasion_, this new entity - WCW and ECW is gonna kick the WWF's _ass_! Oh yeah - oh wait, I got one more thing for ya - and I am also personally responsible, and privliged to introduce you to the new owner of ECW - I believe you know this person quite well...ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Vince's daughter, Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley!"   
  
The formation of the WCW/ECW Alliance (often called the "WECW Alliance" by Internet fans and recappers) shocked the world, and threw the WWF off its stride, especially by the defection of six of its roster. Still, the WWF managed to get some of its thunder back when Jeff Hardy managed to beat Mike Awesome and regain the Hardcore title, only to be immediately challenged by Rob Van Dam of the Alliance.  
  
The _Invasion _PPV finally came around. One of the matches, which many fans claimed was booked simply because of the names of the men involved, involved Lance Storm and "The Storm" Matthew Skinner. The two were fairly evenly matched, but Skinner's resiliency and harder hits soon pulled him ahead. As Skinner prepared to finish Lance off with a Southern Lightning Driver, however, Justin Credible -- Lance's partner in the Impact Players -- showed up and superkicked Skinner in the face, allowing Lance to pin him for the win.  
  
Rob Van Dam -- the Whole Fucking Show -- again bested Jeff Hardy, as he had several years earlier when he'd had a try-out in the WWF, and when Jeff was still just a jobber. RVD hit several of his signature manuevers, and put the Team Extreme member away with a Van Daminator and a Five-Star Frog Splash to pick up the win.  
  
X-Pac, who had finally managed to win the Light-Heavyweight title from Dean Malenko seveal weeks earlier, matched himself against Cruiserweight Champion Billy Kidman. Though the dirty-playing X-Pac tried as best he could to beat Kidman, the high-flying WCWer defeated him with a Kid Krusher and then a Shooting Star Press.  
  
Jericho had been challenged to a match by "Hurricane" Gregory Helms, and accepted. Helms cheated during the match, however, exposing a turnbuckle and bouncing Jericho's head off of it before going for his finisher, the Vertabreaker. Jericho, however, managed to counter and reversed it into the Walls of Jericho, forcing Helms to tap out.  
  
A big eight-man tag was also booked. Big as in size. The WWF had on its team Big Show, Brick, Albert, and Billy Gunn, while WCW put up Shawn Stasiak, Hugh Morrus, Mike Awesome, and Chris Kanyon. The match soon broke down, but Kanyon managed to hook Gunn for a Flatliner onto a chair to allow Stasiak to get the pin. After the match, though, the WWF team laid out the Alliance team, with Albert and Gunn taking turns whipping the four Alliance members to Brick and Big Show, who gave all of them huge chokeslams.  
  
The women got involved too. Rain and Lita put their differences aside to take on Alliance divas Torrie Wilson and Stacy Keibler, and humiliated the other two by stripping them down to bras and panties, then pinning them after hitting a Downdraft and Twist of Fate.  
  
The main event was the Inaugural Brawl, a ten-man tag team match. The Alliance Team, seconded to the ring by Shane, Stephanie, and Heyman, was comprised of DDP, Rhyno, the Dudleys, and Booker T. The WWF Team, seconded by Vince alone, was made up of Triple H, Stone Cold, Undertaker, Kane, and Kurt Angle. All members of all teams got involved, but in the end, Triple H suddenly turned on Angle, who had Rhyno in the Angle Lock submission, kicked him in the face, then Pedigreed him, allowing Rhyno to make the cover for the win.  
  
The unthinkable had happened. The WWF Champion, Triple H, had defected to the enemy camp.  
  
**_Raw_: December 23, one night after _Invasion_.  
  
**The Alliance was in the ring, lording over their victory in the Inaugural Brawl, with Triple H standing firm in joining his wife in ECW to destroy the Federation. Rob Van Dam looked quite smug and cocky, wearing his new Hardcore Championship on his shoulder. Stephanie was speaking. "It's quite simple," she told the fans. "The Alliance is the _new _dominant force in this business! The WWF is dying, it's lost two titles already, and it's going to lose more. Shane, Hunter, and I will not stop until we've put the WWF out of business!" She smirked and looked around the ring. "No force of nature and no act of god is going to stop this invasion from taking place!"  
  
As the fans booed Stephanie as the ECW theme played, the music suddenly switched, becoming metal rock, that of a band called Cold Steel. Thunder-like drum beats played as the lights in the arena flashed wildly, leading up to a thunderclap-like cymbal crash, and the lights went out. There was silence for a moment, and then a voice spoke.  
  
_"This is your Storm Warning." _The fans started cheering as a siren's wail merged with a blaring guitar, and then the music roared up as the lights came up on flashing lights in theatrical smoke. "The Storm" Matthew Skinner walked out on the ramp, glaring into the ring. He held a microphone and drove the point home by wearing his _I am a Force of Nature_ T-Shirt. "Cut the music," he ordered. He held his black baseball bat (with the word UGLY stenciled on one side) in his other hand.  
  
The fans cheered for a moment as the Alliance looked back at Skinner on the ramp. Finally, he spoke. "You must be pretty proud of yourselves," he commented. In the ring, many of the WECWers nodded. "You won yourself a lotta matches last night, you have yourself a new member and a shiny new belt to add to your collection..." More nodding, and then Skinner snapped, "Big fucking deal!" That got their attention.  
  
"You think any of this impresses me? You think any of this impresses the guys in the back?" he asked, gesturing behind him. "You think any of this impresses the Internet fans? You think any of this impresses them?" he asked, pointing to the crowd, which cheered. "The fact remains that this 'Alliance' you've got there is comprised of nothing but a bunch of stupid posers. I mean, _WOW_, WCW -- a company so consumed with keeping its big names happy that they shell out millions of dollars to washed-up has-beens who don't even bother to put any work into their matches -- and ECW -- a company led by a fat, balding slob who can't even add two plus two!"  
  
Shane, Stephanie, and Heyman were all shouting abuse at Skinner, who ignored them. "I mean, geeze, Shane, if you were going to compete with your father on the mental level, if you're so damn smart, if you're wrestlers are so damn smart, how come they all had to cheat to beat us last night?" He tucked his ugly-stick under his arm and counted off matches. "Me against Lance, outside interference. Eight-man tag, illegal man uses a chair to knock out our guy. Inaugural Brawl... Triple H shows us just who the dominant figure in that marriage is." He rolled his eyes and mimicked Stephanie's voice. "'Oh, Hunter, won't you please join the Alliance?'" Then he frowned and mimicked Triple H, talking low and dragging out his words. "'Well...uh, sure, honey, anything for you....uh."  
  
Mr. & Mrs. Helmsley both reacted strongly to this and The Storm rolled his eyes. "And geeze, what leaders you guys had to pick. A fat, balding, obnoxiously loud slob. A whining, spoiled-rotten little bitch with a voice like nails on a chalkboard. And a lying, manipulative, deceitful, silver-spoon wussy boy!"  
  
Stephanie turned her mic back on. "Shut up!" she shouted shrilly. "You can't talk to me like tha--"  
  
"Oh, god, Stephanie, stop!" Skinner interrupted. "The dog owners three towns over are calling to ask you to please make the hurting stop!"  
  
Shane coaxed the mic from his sister and spoke. "Who the hell do you think you are!?" he shouted. "You can't just come out here and talk to us like that!"  
  
"I just did, wussy boy," The Storm replied. "You wanna shut me up? I take on any one of your guys, one-on-one, here tonight. I'll save my thoughts for use in beating the living hell outta whatever shmuck wants to take me on."  
  
Shane turned to his wrestlers, and one of them, a tall Jersey native wearing a white T-Shirt, stepped forward. He had a beard and slicked back hair, and his shirt said _Invasion MVP _on the front, and _Who Better Than Kanyon?_ on the back. He took the mic from Shane. "Shane, please, I'm asking you," Kanyon said in his lisping voice, "as the Alliance's Most Valuable Player, my helping us win our match enabled us to win overall last night. So, as the MVP, there's just one question I gotta ask you." Shane nodded and gestured for him to continue. "When it comes to taking out that guy," Kanyon said, pointing out at The Storm, "who betta than Kanyon?"  
  
The Storm started to raise his mic to reply, but stopped and glanced out at the crowd as they began to chant _"Skinner! Skinner!" _He smirked, then said, "Okay, Shane-O Wuss, if you wanna offer up Waterboy here as the sacrificial lamb, that's fine with me. But, hey, Waterboy," he said to Kanyon, "couple things before you tangle with me. First, get your gear all set and everything, then, get yourself all cooled off with some of that 'high quality H2O,' get some speech therapy to fix that thhhhtupid lithhhhhp! And then, get set to get wrecked, `cuz you're gonna go one on one with one unstoppable Force of Nature!"  
  
Matthew Skinner raised his ugly-stick in the air, then pointed it out to the side, at the audience, and slowly swept it in a quarter-circle until he finished pointing at Kanyon, who suddenly looked nervous.  
  
* * *  
  
Some corny-sounding music played, while images of Chris Kanyon from old episodes of _Monday Night Nitro _played for the self-proclaimed MVP of the Alliance. He came out, wearing his burgundy tights with the white design on the legs, and his _Invasion MVP _shirt. He wore his usual stupid grin on his face, turning and spreading his arms to bask in the non-applause he was receiving. "The following contest is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first, from the Alliance... KANYON!"  
  
Kanyon hit the ring and turned in a circle again, then took the microphone from Lillian Garcia and spoke. "Y'know, ever since the dawn of time, everyone and everything, from the highest noble to the lowest ant has had but one question they were unable to answer. And that question is, _'Who betta than Kanyon?'_"  
  
The audience replied by shouting,_ "Eeeeverrybody!"  
  
_Kanyon was about to shout what he believed to be the answer ("Nobody! The answer is nobody!") when the rumbling drum/thunder roll began to herald the arrival of his opponent. The Jersey man removed his T-Shirt and paced in the ring as "Force of Nature" started up and Matthew Skinner walked out of the smoke. "And his opponent, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 240 pounds... "The Storm" MATTHEW SKINNER!"  
  
The Storm climbed into the ring and posed on the ropes, raising a fist in the air, then thumping each shoulder with his fists simultaneously, then again, this time extending his thumbs, forefingers, and pinkies in a "metalhead" sign, then pointing out at the crowd. He stepped down and removed his sunglasses, then paced about the ring opposite Kanyon.  
  
The two then locked up and attempted to push each other back, but Skinner got the upper hand, hitting a wristlock and then a hammerlock. He tried to clip Kanyon's legs and go for the Necksnapper, but the former Jersey Triad member quickly slipped out of that. Skinner quickly charged and took him down with a clothesline, then a second. He whipped him into the ropes to go for a front dropkick, but Kanyon held onto the ropes with his arms and Skinner fell to the mat with a thud.  
  
The self-styled MVP start laying in stomps and boots to Skinner's head, then punches and forearms as he got to his feet. He muscled him back into a corner, pummeled him some more, then whipped him across the ring. He went for the follow-up clothesline, but The Storm blocked with an elbow to the face. He then went to snap his fist into Kanyon's face, but Kanyon blocked with his arm, then grabbed his head and arm, swinging down and around into a neckbreaker.  
  
With the Force of Nature down, Kanyon pulled him to his feet and started to climb to the top rope, holding Skinner's head in place for a super Rocker Drop, but before he could deliver, Skinner jostled the ropes, crotching him. The Storm then started to climb up as well, hoisting Kanyon onto his shoulder. He stood poised on the second rope, then shouted, "Time to go for a ride, Kanyon!" But before he could hit the Deathride, Kanyon slugged him in the head and hit the super Rocker Drop. He turned him over and hooked a leg, but The Storm kicked out at two.  
  
Looking angry, Kanyon started punching him in the temple, then pulled him to his feet, going for a suplex. Skinner, however, countered, and delivered a suplex of his own. He quickly locked on an armbar, wrenching Kanyon's arm. WCW's "innovator of offense" screamed in pain and tried to get free, but finally Skinner relented and pulled him to his feet, gesturing to his shoulder to the crowd, which roared its approval. Skinner went to whip Kanyon, preparing to yank back on the arm to pop it from its socket, but Kanyon instead reversed his momentum and ran straight back into his opponent, hooking his arm under the jaw and grabbing his other shoulder, almost like he was looking for the Rock Bottom, but instead dropped backwards, driving The Storm face first into the mat, his version of the Split Second (or Downward Spiral), which Paul Heyman dubbed the "I'm Better Than You."  
  
Kanyon again covered, but Skinner kicked out at two again. The so-called MVP got up and stamped his foot in annoyance, slapping his hands to tell the ref to count faster. He started to pick him back up, but Skinner suddenly moved, grabbing Kanyon's legs, tripping him onto his face. Pouncing, he twisted one of Kanyon's arms back in a hammerlock, holding it down with a knee as he locked his hands under his jaw. This was the infamous Hammerlock Necksnapper, and Kanyon started screaming in pain, looking on the verge of tapping out.  
  
However, the fans started booing as a swarm of Alliance wrestlers came charging down the ramp, followed by Shane and Stephanie, who egged them on. Sean O'Haire kicked The Storm in the face, breaking the hold and causing the referee to call for the disqualification. O'Haire pulled Skinner up and held him in place for his partner Chuck Palumbo's Jungle Kick, and they took turns stomping away on him with Raven and Tommy Dreamer, as Rob Van Dam started to go up to the top rope, poised to deliver the Five-Star Frog Splash.  
  
Suddenly, a dark-robed form leapt out of the crowd, shoving RVD off the top rope and to the mat. Shawn Stasiak quickly rushed the hooded figure, who deflected his swing and punched him back into Raven, then vaulted over the top rope, dragging a chair into the ring behind him. Palumbo rushed him next, and managed to stagger the intruder, knocking his hood off. A golden-haired man with a thick goatee and mustache glared back at him, then blocked his next swing and swung his own gloved fist into his head. By this point, Skinner was back on his feet and gave O'Haire a swift punch in the nose, knocking him down, and causing Tommy Dreamer to back up.  
  
The hooded man pulled an "ugly-stick" from his monk-like robes and threw it to The Storm, who quickly hit Kanyon with it as he started to get back up. The newcomer swung his chair up and hit Stasiak with it, sending him sprawling to the outside. Skinner hit Raven with the ugly-stick in the ribs, then the back, kicking him and sending him rolling out of the ring. Palumbo and O'Haire regrouped for a moment, as the dark-clad man shrugged off the robe, revealing himself standing in a sleeveless black shirt with a golden cross on the chest, dark pants and boots. A silver cross dangled from his neck as he swung the chair at Palumbo, who took it on the head and fell to the mat and out of the ring. O'Haire got a shot to the head from the ugly-stick to send him packing.  
  
The Storm knocked Tommy Dreamer down with the ugly-stick, then turned around to see RVD back on his feet, suddenly leaping in the air and delivering a spinning kick straight into the new man's chair, driving it into his face in a Van Daminator. Skinner charged and brained RVD with the baseball bat, sending him out of the ring as well. He helped the blond warrior to his feet, then turned to see Tommy Dreamer on his feet again. The former ECW mainstay charged, and Skinner sidestepped. The newcomer caught Dreamer by the waist, hoisted him in the air, pivoted, and dropped to a sitting position, hitting a variant of the Sky Hi powerbomb.  
  
Kanyon quickly retreated when he saw all this and backed up the ramp with his Alliance cohorts as The Storm and the blond-haired man paced in the ring. Skinner turned to his comrade, clasped his hand, then raised it in the air along with his ugly-stick, as the other man did the same with his steel chair. Shane and Stephanie stared at them in shock and fury as the segment ended.  
  
**_Smackdown_: December 26  
  
**The Coach stood in the backstage area with The Storm and the mysterious robed man for an interview segment. The stranger's face was half-hidden in shadow by his hood. "Storm, last Monday night, in the midst of your match against Kanyon, you were suddenly mugged by the Alliance, when this man standing with you intervened and helped save you. Who is he?"  
  
"Coach," Skinner said, "I wanna remind you of something that Stephanie said the other night, so let's go on a little trip down Memory Lane, shall we? Shane, Stephanie, and that Kool-Aid merchant Paul Heyman are in the ring, talking about how their Alliance is unstoppable." He paused. "I believe Steph's exact words were 'no force of nature and no act of god is going to stop this invasion from taking place.'" There was a distant round of boos from the crowd.  
  
"Famous last words, Stephanie," The Storm said, "because I am The Storm, and I _am _a Force of Nature, and this man right here is a former comrade of mine back in my CIW days. This man is Scion, and he _is _an Act of God."  
  
"That's right, Coach," Scion said in his grave voice. "Together, Matthew and I are going to stop the Invasion in its tracks, and bring retribution on the ungrateful and dishonorable children of Vince McMahon." He bowed his head, shading the rest of his face in his hood's shadow, lifting his silver cross in his hands.  
  
The Storm smirked at the interviewer. "I guess what you could say, Coach, is that the Alliance's insurance premiums are about to go through the roof." He turned and left, Scion following him, leaving Coach to look at the camera.  
  
**-more to come-  
  
**Next: As The Storm and Scion try to wage a war against the Alliance, Billy Rose lays his plans to make a return.  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
January 19, 2002  



	2. An Act of God

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up immediately after the last one.  
  
Teaser: As The Storm and Scion try to wage a war against the Alliance, Billy Rose lays his plans to make a return.  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Roger "Zed" Ziger, Mike "Zeta" Zahn, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission.  
  
Previously: The events in the WWF between Summerslam and Invasion are recapped, and "The Storm" Matthew Skinner steps up and challenges the W/ECW Alliance, fighting Kanyon, and getting rescued from a mugging by former CIWer Scion.  
  
**Chapter 2: An Act of God  
  
Smackdown: December 26  
  
**As Coach was finishing up his interview with The Storm and Scion, another match was starting up at the ring, for gold. Bombs whistled on the TitanTron._ "Yeah, we're comin' down now!" _Pyros exploded at the top of the ramp as hardcore music played over a flashing image that read _WELCOME TO DUDLEYVILLE_. The Dudley Boyz stepped out onto the stage, accompanied by Stacy Keibler, who wore a Dudley-camouflage skirt and a tight Dudleyville postcard T-Shirt. "The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and is for the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championship! Introducing first, from the Alliance, being accompanied by Stacy Keibler, at a combined weight of 515 pounds... D-Von, Bubba Ray... THE DUDLEY BOYZ!"  
  
Bubba and D-Von hit the ring, climbing up on the ropes to raise their hands in the '3-D' sign and generally pump themselves up. Stacy stood in the middle of the ring and nodded, smirking and giving the '3-D' sign as well. The Dudleys stepped off the ropes and removed their Dudley glasses, then crouched in wait, staring up the ramp.  
  
Blur's "Song 2" started up, the drums and guitar playing while spotlights swept over the audience. The fans started cheering, then screamed along with the opening lyric: _"Whoo-hoo!"_ The TitanTron lit up with the legend _ZED & ZETA_ as the Tag Team Champions themselves stepped out. Zed, big and sturdy, muscled like the ex-bare-knuckle boxer he was, wore his usual dark-green sleeveless shirt and black-and-green pants. His wrists and knuckles were taped up, and he carried his title belt in one hand. His dirty-blond hair was cropped short. Zeta, on the other hand, was much shorter than his partner, kept his dark brown hair long, and had two streaks of blue which started at his temples and went all the way through. He wore short tights under cut-off jean shorts, and a Z-Men T-Shirt which said _What's__ the word? - Snoogans!_ He wagged his tongue out and flashed a metalhead sign as he headed down the ramp. "And their opponents, from Baltimore, Maryland, weighing in at a combined weight of 460 pounds... they are the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Champions... ZED & ZETA!"  
  
As soon as they slid into the ring, the Z-Men were besieged by the Dudleys, who started pounding them in the back and head as they pulled them to their feet. Bubba Ray managed to corner Zed and worked over his ribs with stiff punches, then a punch across the face. The big Z-Man rocked from the blow, then savagely punched Bubba right back, looking angry. He punched again, and Bubba went down. Zed started pounding him in the back. "Stupid idiot! Try hittin' a former boxer in the face? What were you smoking, Bubba?" He pulled him to his feet and started to bounce his head off the turnbuckle, but the white Dudley held the ropes with his hands to block, then bounced Zed's head off the corner. He did it a second time, then stomped him down to the mat.  
  
By this point, D-Von had been working over Zeta as well. He called over his half-brother, and together they whipped Zeta into the ropes. They ducked their heads as one, but Zeta turned in mid-rebound and rolled down Bubba's back, then went off the other ropes. When he returned, however, the Dudleys caught his legs and hoisted him high in the air before bringing him down to the mat with a ferocious crash in a high flapjack.  
  
Zed and D-Von cleared out of the ring as Bubba continued to pound on the Z-Man with the blue-streaked-hair, stomping him down to the mat. He taunted Zed, who took a swing at him, then turned back to Zeta. He stomped him in the head, then dropped an elbow on Zeta's sternum. He stood back up and delivered a second, then stood back up, linked his hands together, "Eat this!" and bashed Zeta with a falling double axe-handle. He covered, and Zeta kicked out at two. Bubba Ray continued to stomp and generally punish the smaller man, then whipped him into the corner and flattened him with a clothesline.  
  
Bubba dumped Zeta on the mat, ran over to the champions' corner and walloped Zed. The ex-boxer immediately tried to step in the ring, but the referee cut him off, allowing Bubba to spread Zeta's legs. D-Von leapt from the top rope in the Wassap Headbutt, sans "Wassap." Bubba slapped his hands to simulate the tag and left the ring, as D-Von made the sign of the cross to the groaning and doubled over Zeta. He pulled him up, pressed him against the ropes and worked him over with stiff right hands. Finally, he whipped him across the ring and started to set up for his spinning back elbow, but as Zeta came back, he planted his feet and leapt off the mat, twisting his body in midair in the Zetasault, colliding hard with D-Von and knocking them both down.  
  
Zed stood on the ropes and shouted at his partner, clapping his hands and then pounding on the corner, reaching out with his other hand. The audience took up the clap as well, as Zeta crawled slowly for the corner. D-Von tagged in Bubba, but before Zeta could slap Zed's hand, Stacy Keibler jumped on the ring apron, prompting the referee to turn and lecture her, making him miss the tag that Zeta made. As a result, when Zed stepped in the ring, the ref quickly dashed over to cut him off, allowing Bubba to drag Zeta over to the Dudleys' corner and brutalize him with a double team. Zed argued with referee Tim White while this transpired.  
  
Stacy looked smug on the ring apron, but she didn't see the female form jump out of the crowd behind her. She was slim and buxom, with brunette hair, baggy orange pants, and a form-fitting off-white sleeveless top. The newcomer grabbed Stacy's feet and yanked them backward. The WCW diva fell and hit her face on the ring apron. As she held her face in pain, the new woman quickly nailed her in the face with a roundhouse kick. This distracted Bubba, who stared, allowing Zeta to lunge to his corner and tag in Zed.  
  
The fans popped as the burly Z-Man rushed into the ring and took Bubba down with a clothesline, then another, then gave one to D-Von, and another. He whipped Bubba into the ropes, caught him and swung around to deliver a spinebuster. D-Von got back up, but Zed floored him with a Jawbuster, allowing Zeta, who yelled, "Snoogans!" to sail off the top-rope in a senton bomb. He collided with D-Von and kicked him out of the ring. Bubba staggered to his feet as Zed crouched in wait behind him. Zeta leaned back against the ropes, bouncing a bit.  
  
Bubba turned to Zed, who grabbed his legs and lifted him upward. Zeta yelled "Z-D!" then pounced off the ropes, jumped and caught Bubba Ray by the neck in a clothesline neckbreaker, just as Zed swung him down in a spinebuster agian. The fans gave a loud _Ohhh!_ as Bubba hit the mat with a crash. Zeta slid out of the ring as Zed hooked a leg for the 1... 2... 3!  
  
The fans cheered as Zed and Zeta headed up the ramp to join the brunette, who whooped and cheered, holding their title belts. "Here are your winners, and still the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Champions... ZED & ZETA!" The Z-Men lifted her in the air and cheered as well, while she raised the belts in the air. Zed turned back to the Dudleys and mocked their 3-D sign, then turned away again.  
  
* * *  
  
Matthew Skinner grinned as the Z-Men returned to their commandeered restroom after the match, the brunette in tow. "Hey, it's she, it's she, it's Missy Dee!" The Storm quipped and slapped a palm with her. "How you been, Dee?"  
  
Dee Meaner grinned. "Been doin' pretty good, Matty. Good to be here in the WWF."  
  
"Nice work on the Dudleys there," Skinner added. "I see you debuted the 'Z-D' too."  
  
"Hey, why not?" Zeta remarked. "It's the mark of a good tag-team, having a tandem manuever. The Duds have the 3-D, the Hardys have the Twist of Fate, Swanton, and Poetry in Motion. Edge and Christian, in better days, had the Conchairto. Well the Men of the Z just got the Z-D!"  
  
The Storm nodded, then looked back at Scion. "You ready, man?" The hooded man looked up from the corner and nodded. "All right, then, let's go."  
  
* * *  
  
The Storm headed out to the ring to the music of Cold Steel, pacing in the ring with his ugly-stick in hand. "The following tag-team contest is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 240 pounds... 'The Storm' MATTHEW SKINNER!"  
  
He looked toward the TitanTron as the lights went down, except on the ramp, as a distant church bell tolled, accompanied by a haunting dirge-like melody, not unlike the entrance music the Undertaker used way back at the beginning of his career in the WWF. The robed form of Scion slowly walked down the ramp, face hidden in shadow from his hood, save his jaw, which was set gravely. His hands were folded in front of him as he strode up the stairs and onto the apron. A spotlight followed him as he stepped into the ring, sinking to one knee, where he made the sign of the cross in the air before him. "And his tag-team partner, from parts unknown, weighing in at 255 pounds... SCION!"  
  
Scion pulled back his hood and then shrugged out of his robes, which he threw in the corner. He knelt again facing the corner, holding his silver cross in his hands. He murmurred some prayer, then removed the cross and passed it out to the timekeeper. Then the Act of God stood and brushed his golden hair out of his face and turned to the ramp with Skinner.  
  
Both men were quite startled when the next music that played was the Union Underground. _"How long?__ How long? -- I said how long? I said how long? I said how long? Until you crack, man..."_ The fans reacted quickly once they got over their own surprise, and started jeering. Billy Rose smirked as he walked down the ramp, wearing his _Mental Elite_ T-Shirt. He headed around the ring, as Skinner paced him inside, glaring at him. "What the fuck you doin' out here, you bastard?" Scion, for his part, was frowning as he watched Rose head over to the announce position. Rose just smirked at Skinner and seated himself next to Tazz.  
  
"And we're being joined here by Billy Rose," Michael Cole said into his headset. "What brings you down here, Billy?"  
  
"Yeah, Billy," Tazz sniped. "Ain't Skinner kicked your ass enough times already?"  
  
"Believe it or not, Tazz -- and I know you won't believe it, since you never believe a word anybody from the WWF says," Rose said as he put the third headset on, "-- I am not out here to take a shot at Skinner. He and I settled our business months ago. We still hate each other's guts, sure, but I ain't about to start another feud with him."  
  
"So what _does _bring you out here?" Cole inquired.  
  
"Well, obviously, Michael Cole, _some_one has to supply the info about Scion," Rose replied. "Who else but someone from CIW is gonna supply it?"  
  
"Me," Tazz said. "You could just give me a piece of paper and I could read stuff off of it."  
  
"Sorry, Tazz," Rose smirked. "I'd need someone who actually graduated from high school."  
  
Before Tazz could reply to that crack, intense, hardcore music played as the words PALUMBO - O'HAIRE flashed on the screen. Together, the two WCW wrestlers came out on the ramp, thumping forearms and yelling at each other to pump themselves up. "And their opponents, from the Alliance, at a combined weight of 545 pounds... they are the WCW Tag Team Champions... SEAN O'HAIRE and CHUCK PALUMBO!"  
  
Chuck Palumbo rushed down and into the ring with Sean O'Haire beside him. The Storm took Palumbo and started clubbing him in the back as he got up, as Scion grappled with O'Haire. Scion drove the wind from his opponent with a kneelift, then snap suplexed him hard to the mat. Palumbo, meanwhile, used his larger size to muscle Skinner back into the corner and was pummeling on him. Scion left the ring to go after O'Haire as The Storm ducked a swing from Palumbo and abruptly reversed their positions. The Force of Nature started chopping the 'Main Event's' chest, then kicking, then stomping away on it.  
  
While this was going on, Tazz asked, "Okay, then, smart guy, so tell us about this Scion character. Where's he from?"  
  
"No one knows where he's from," Rose replied. "He just turned up one day at the CIW Arena. The guy had so much raw talent we couldn't turn him away."  
  
Outside, O'Haire reversed a whip by Scion and drove the gold-haired warrior into the steel post, then slid into the ring to blindside Skinner with a shot to the back of the head. Tazz laughed. "Yeah, some talent!"  
  
Palumbo climbed out of the ring and stood on the apron as O'Haire pounded and threw Skinner around the ring. He whipped him back into the hostile corner and tagged in his partner, who whipped him into the ropes for a clothesline. The Storm rolled to his feet, wincing at the soreness from the blows he'd taken, and started to rally back, pummling the long-haired wrestler, then slipping behind him for a German suplex. He then rolled into a cover, but got a near-fall.  
  
"Seriously," Rose said, "Scion's got the... I believe the term they'd use in the Hook is 'mad skizills,'" Tazz scowled at the jab, "and he's a private kinda guy, so we never pried into his personal life."  
  
The Storm grabbed one of Palumbo's legs and started to twist it and turn him over for the Twister Anklelock, but O'Haire rushed the ring and hit a nasty back suplex on him. O'Haire half-stepped out of the ring as Palumbo made the obligatory tag. The intense WCW Tag Team Champion started stomping and pounding on Skinner again, suplexing him now and again, and generally keeping him isolated from Scion, who watched with his usual grave expression from the corner.  
  
O'Haire finally scoop slammed The Storm near the neutral corner, then climbed up to the top rope. He whooped and raised his arms in the air, then sailed off in a Seanton Bomb. In mid-air, however, Skinner rolled away, causing the bigger man to hit the mat with a crash. Scion leaned forward, reaching for the tag, even as Palumbo did the same in his corner. Both men crawled to their partners and made the tags virtually simultaneously.  
  
The fans cheered as Scion took the long-haired champion down with a stiff clothesline, then a second. O'Haire got back up and rushed the religious man, but Scion sidestepped and planted his knee in his gut. Tazz and Rose and Cole were arguing at the commentator's table about who was going to pull out victorious. The Act of God was still keeping the WCW Tag Team Champions on the mat, until O'Haire grabbed one of Scion's legs, allowing Palumbo enough time to hit the Jungle Kick to knock him down.  
  
As the 'Main Event' celebrated, he turned toward the hostile corner. All at once, The Storm was airborne, catapulting himself at Palumbo in the Windfall, flattening him to the mat. O'Haire got up and advanced on him, but Scion was back on his feet, dazed, but not defeated. He grabbed O'Haire and turned him back to face him, then suddenly grabbed him and lifted him in the air in a Sky Hi variant, powerbombing him to the mat.  
  
"And there it is!" Rose shouted. "The Fall from Grace!"  
  
Scion wasn't finished, apparently, as he headed to the corner and climbed to the top. The Storm dragged O'Haire out of the ring as Palumbo was still down from the Windfall. Scion stood on the top rope, feet together, then raised his arms up in a crucifix position. Then he swung his hands down and leapt off in his own senton bomb -- "Jeezus Wept!" Rose howled at the announce position -- and slammed into Palumbo with terrific force. He hooked the leg and covered. 1... 2... 3!  
  
The haunting dirge played again as Scion rose to his feet, folding his hands in front of him and bowing his head. He then made the sign of the cross over the semi-conscious Chuck Palumbo, and collected his cross and robes. The Storm joined him as they headed up the ramp, putting on his sunglasses and giving his Italian arm-chop and two-fingered salute. "Here are your winners... MATTHEW SKINNER and SCION!"  
  
After they and the defeated Alliance members had left, Rose turned to Tazz and Cole. "It was nice working with you, Michael. Wish I could say the same for you, Tazz. But get used to it. I have a feeling you'll be seeing more of me in the coming weeks." But before Tazz could demand an answer, the Californian was already heading to the back.  
  
* * *  
  
Paul Heyman had watched this with Shane and Triple H in the Alliance VIP Room. "I don't like the sound of that," the ECW mastermind muttered.  
  
"Neither do I," Shane added. "Rose is up to something, and the bastard's so clever I don't think we'll see it coming."  
  
"Well I'll tell you what _I_ see," Triple H growled. "Twice in the past week, somebody has run in and cost us a match or respect. First it was this Scion creep, and now the Z-Men have themselves a new manager."  
  
"So what do you think we should do about it?" the young McMahon asked.  
  
"Do exactly what the WWF did to the Alliance," the Game replied. "We guard the doors and keep these wanna-be's out of the arena. They can't make trouble if they can't get in."  
  
"Good idea," Heyman chuckled. "Give `em a taste of their own medicine!"  
  
As the three Alliance ringleaders made these plots, a slim but muscular woman with raven-colored hair and a neat business suit was standing just outside their door. She smirked a bit, then turned and walked to the garage. Idling there was a black limo. The woman slid into the back seat and leaned back.  
  
"They're planning to shut us out of the arenas," she said to Billy Rose, who was seated on the other side of the limo. "Give `em a taste of their own medicine, I think was the way Heyman put it."  
  
The Californian smirked. "Well, that's what that fat bingo-hall operator thinks, Jenny," he replied. "That's what _he _thinks."  
  
**-more to come-  
  
**Next: W/ECW is tries to shut out the run-ins, but Rose is one step ahead of them.  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
January 25, 2002


	3. A Taste of Their Own Medicine

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Monday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: W/ECW is tries to shut out the run-ins, but Rose is one step ahead of them.  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Roger "Zed" Ziger, Mike "Zeta" Zahn, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, Scion, Deidre "Dee Meaner" Menser, Nathan Starr, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission.  
  
Previously: **Zed & Zeta def. Dudleyz** with the Z-D (spine & neck breaker) and an assist from CIW girl-buddy Dee Meaner to retain the WWF Tag Titles. Billy Rose deid commentary as **The Storm & Scion def. Palumbo & O'Haire **with the Fall From Grace (Sky Hi powerbomb) and the Jesus Wept (senton bomb). 

**Chapter 3: A Taste of Their Own Medicine  
  
Raw: December 30  
**  
Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley paced in front of a quintet of her Alliance superstars. Tommy Dreamer, Rob Van Dam, Chuck Palumbo, Sean O'Haire, and Chavo Guerrero, Jr. looked back at her. She looked as angry and as bitchy as ever. "I don't know _who_ these people think they are, constantly interfering in our business, but I _will not_ have the Alliance made a laughingstock!"  
  
All five of the men nodded in agreement, but Stephanie snapped, "And _you two_!" She pointed a manicured finger at Palumbo and O'Haire, who hung their heads in shame. "You dare to _lose_ a match to Matthew Skinner and that hood-wearing freak Scion?! If we weren't trying to save face right now, I'd have Shane fire you two!"  
  
"Sorry, Miss Steph--" Palumbo started to say, but she cut him off with a frosty glare.  
  
"All I want you to do," she told the five men, "is make sure anybody who is not a member of the Alliance does not set foot inside this arena!" She paused, then added, "And the same goes for anybody from the WWF! Nobody from the WWF gets past you either! _Especially _Chris Jericho!"  
  
"Well, well, well," came a voice that set Stephanie's nerves on edge, "if it isn't the Queen of Extreme Movies and her latest paying customers." Face twisted into a scowl, the Billion-Dollar Princess turned around to glare at her longtime nemesis, Chris Jericho. He smirked, leaning against the door into the corridor, then held his hands up. "Far be it from me to interrupt a six-way, especially one involving Stephanie McMahon-Hosebeast." Smirking again, he headed off down the hall as she shrieked in frustration.  
  
* * *  
  
Billy Rose arrived later that night in a limosuine. Not one as long or luxurious as those that Vince McMahon or his children often did, but a limo nonetheless. As he stepped out of it, then got his traveler's bag out of the trunk. He looked up, then stepped back, looking blandly at the trio of WCW people that advanced on him. Diamond Dallas Page, Chris Kanyon, and Shawn Stasiak looked at him with malicious intent. Rose just smirked. "What, is it Idiots-Get-In-Free Night tonight?"  
  
"Shane, Steph, and Hunter don't want you gettin' in here tonight, William," DDP said with an evil grin.  
  
Rose's smirk faded. "My third grade teacher called me William. So did my parents. You're neither."  
  
"Well, William," DDP said with another grin, "regardless, you're about to get your ass kicked."  
  
Rose looked at the Jersey native, then at something behind him. "Oh, hey, `Taker!" The bluff worked. Both Page and Kanyon flinched and looked behind them. Rose swung his bag into Kanyon's head, then punched Page in the mouth. Stasiak charged Rose, who sidestepped and shoved him into the open trunk, then shut it on him. Page and Kanyon converged on Rose and started to beat on him, but then two gloved hands grabbed the two members of the former Jersey Triad.  
  
The Undertaker and Kane quickly sent Page and Kanyon packing with a few bruises. Rose pulled himself up and checked his mouth for blood. None. "Thanks for the save, `Taker."  
  
The Dead Man turned a beady gaze on him. "You think I was saving you?" he said. "I could care less about you. I was just trying to make DDP famous." He started to leave.  
  
Kane started to follow when Rose clapped him on the shoulder to thank him for the save. Kane stopped, looked at the hand on his shoulder. The Californian quickly pulled his hand back. The Big Red Machine left after his brother.  
  
When he was gone, Rose adjusted his 'Mental Elite' T-Shirt and grabbed his bag again. "Time to get down to business." He headed into the arena and pulled out his cel phone. "Yeah, it's me," he said when someone picked up. "You know what to do. Do it."  
  
* * *  
  
It was during The Hurricane's match against Scotty 2 Hotty that it happened. The self-proclaimed superhero of the Alliance had been pretty much in control of the match, except for a few times when Scotty got some offense in. The Hurricane went to the corner to don his cape, then climbed up to the top rope. He sprang off the top, looking for a high crossbody, but Scotty managed to counter with a dropkick in mid-air. Helms went down, landing hard on his back, as Scotty fell backwards into WCW referee Charles Robinson, bumping him and knocking him down.  
  
As all three men lay on the mat, someone hopped over the barricade from a seat in the front row. He wore a backwards baseball cap, bearing the emblem of the local football team, a Sum 41 T-Shirt, and cut-off jean shorts. The man scrambled up to the top rope, crouched, then sprang off the top. The audience gasped as he delivered a shooting star press -- except he completed a full revolution before coming down and splashing into The Hurricane. The man whipped off his cap and shook out his brown hair, cut short on one side, and long with a forelock on the other, grinning manically at the crowd.  
  
In the ring, as Helms slowly crawled to his feet, clutching his injured ribs, Scotty had gotten back up as well. He saw his opponent doubled over near the ropes, and the dancing superstar got that look on his face. Scotty bounced off the ropes, came back and put both hands into the back of The Hurricane's head, using his momentum to faceplant the would-be superhero to the mat. Scotty then spread his arms wide, a big grin on his face. He bounced from foot to foot for a moment, then turned and hopped in a half circle, the fans chanting "The W! O! R! M!" Once he completed the half-circle, he flopped to the mat and wiggled like a worm toward Helms' prone body. Reaching him, he hopped to his feet and swung his arms one way, then the next, three times before chopping a forearm down into Helms' chest. Robinson had recovered and counted the fall as Scotty hooked the leg. 1... 2... 3!  
  
Heyman was apoplectic at the announcers' table. "I object! Hurricane did _not _lose that match! There was outside interference!!"  
  
"Oh, so it's a foul if someone interferes and costs your guys a match, but it's okay if you do it to the WWF, is that it?" J.R. demanded.  
  
"That's exactly what I'm saying!" Heyman yelled. "How did he even get past our security!"  
  
The newcomer grinned up at Scotty, who gave him a thumbs-up. Now he turned to Heyman, grinning that manic smile, then reached into his jeans' pocket. He pulled out a ticket stub and waved it in his face. J.R. laughed. "That's how he did it, Paul! He bought himself a ticket!"  
  
The newcomer was laughing, then stopped as he heard the fans start booing. He turned and saw the five Alliance members that Stephanie had been lecturing earlier come charging down the ramp. Scotty saw them too and slid out of the ring and ran off through the crowd with the newcomer. Dreamer, Van Dam, Palumbo, O'Haire, and Chavo chased them away as DDP and Kanyon checked on The Hurricane. They stood him on his feet. Helms stood upright, hitting his superhero-like pose, hands on his hips, then promptly fell over again.  
  
* * *  
  
Scotty and the other man stopped as they came across Matthew Skinner, who was leaning against the wall. The Storm grinned. "Hey, Nate, how ya been?"  
  
Nathan Starr grinned at him. "Hey, Matthew," he said. "Been good. Glad to be here. Now if you'll excuse me, I got five Alliance guys coming for me."  
  
"Yeah, there they are now," Skinner said, standing up as Dreamer and his gang ran up. "Hey, it's the rejects, has-beens, and who-gives-a-shit crew."  
  
"You gotta lotta nerve comin' in here," O'Haire snarled, advancing on the three of them.  
  
"Beat it before I beat you with an ugly-stick," Skinner said, hefting his trademark weapon.  
  
The five WECWers laughed. "There are five of us, and three of you!" Tommy Dreamer pointed out.  
  
But that's when a black-robed figure stepped out of a locker room, bearing a steel chair. A second form, this one much bigger than everyone there, also joined them. Scion gazed at them from under his hood, and Brick silently cracked his knuckles. The Storm said, "Correction, there's five of you, and six of us." He jerked a thumb at Brick. "He counts for two."  
  
Brick glared at them. "Beat it," he growled in his volcanic voice.  
  
He didn't have to tell them twice. The five WECWers quickly beat tracks. The Storm scoffed, then turned to Nate. "You'd better get yourself someplace safe. They'll be back, and they'll bring friends."  
  
"No problem!" Nate grinned. "I've got a ride." He sketched a salute to Scotty, who gave him another thumbs-up, and then the two cruiserweights left. Nate Starr left down the hall toward the main lobby entrance. All the other exits were still being guarded by the Alliance.  
  
The Storm, Scion, and Brick started walking toward the locker room they were sharing with the Z-Men and Stone Cold. As they were walking, Scion spoke. "The man they call Viper returned earlier tonight, Matthew."  
  
Skinner's face hardened a bit. "Good for him."  
  
"He's joined the side of the WWF," the mysterious man said.  
  
"Good for the WWF," he snapped. He turned to face him. "Look, Scion, you, of all people, know that you can't trust a snake. Fact of the matter is I don't trust Viper. For all we know, he already got picked up by Shane, Steph, and that fat slob Heyman, and he just came here to sabotage things."  
  
He turned away and started walking again. "But since Vince wants us to play nice, since we're on the same team and all, I'll do so. The second I see Snake Boy start to change his skin, however, I'm going to celebrate Whacking Day.  
  
"Now come on, Zed, Zait, and Dee's match is up next."  
  
* * *  
  
"The following six-person intergender tag-team contest is scheduled for one fall," announced Lillian Garcia. The opening drums of Blur's "Song 2" rocked the arena, and moments later, the WWF Tag Team Champions emerged, with Dee alongside them. "Introducing first, the team of DEE MEANER and the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Champions, ZED & ZETA!" Dee was wearing her usual baggy orange pants and a sturdy pair of shoes. Instead of her off-white shirt, however, she wore the Z-Men T-Shirt, _What's the word? - Snoogans! _She bounced energetically on her feet, then ran down to the ring with the two men from Baltimore. She ran to the ropes on one side of the ring, and bounced on the first rope, holding onto the top one, whooping with excitement.  
  
She and the Z-Men turned to face the ramp, but instead of hearing the whistle of an incoming missile, different music struck up. "How long? How long? How long? - I said how long? I said how long? I said how long? Until you crack, man..." A strange mixture of cheers and boos -- mostly boos -- came down on Billy Rose as he strutted down the ramp and made his way toward the commentator's table. He stopped there and glared for a moment or three at Paul Heyman, giving him a look of utter loathing, then took the third chair, moved it a foot or so away from the ECW mastermind, then took the third headset.  
  
"Once again, we're being joined by Billy Rose," J.R. said. "Pleasure to have you out here, Billy."  
  
"I wish I could say the same, J.R.," Rose said, glaring at Heyman again. "Why don't you guys ever put the third headset on J.R.'s side? That way I wouldn't have to sit next to this miserable excuse for a human being."  
  
"Oh, come now," Heyman chortled, "J.R.'s not that bad--"  
  
"I was talking about you, Heyman!" Rose snapped. "The reason I'm out here, again, is because out of anybody in the WWF, WCW, or ECW, I'm the only person with the most experience with CIW. Nobody knows anything about Dee Meaner except the Z's and Skinner, except myself. So, naturally, I'll take care of that. I just wish short, fat, and balding here would shower more than once a month."  
  
"You'll want to be careful what you say to me, sir," Heyman said icily, "especially because _here come the Dudleys_!"  
  
Sure enough, the bombs were whistling. The hard rap metal music started up and pyros went off at the top of the stage as the Dudleys and Stacy Keibler came out. "And their opponents, the team of STACY KEIBLER and the DUDLEY BOYZ!" The Dudleys themselves wasted little time. They rushed the ring and immediately mixed it up with Zed and Zeta. Stacy held back, but Dee slipped out of the ring and chased her around it, then into the ring. D-Von cut her off, having thrown Zeta out of the ring. The black Dudley leered, but Dee surprised him with a roundhouse kick to the head. Dee quickly left the ring as Bubba set to work trying to wear down Zed in the corner.  
  
The ex-boxer absorbed Bubba's blows for a while, then reversed their positions and started pounding the hell out of him. He whipped him across, and Zed followed to hit a corner clothesline. He stepped back to allow Bubba to stagger a bit, then grabbed his head and threw him face-first to the mat. He applied a few stomps to the kidneys, then tagged in Zeta. The smaller Z-Man ran at Bubba and started pummeling him with lightning-quick forearm shots and right hands. He went to whip him into the neutral corner, but Bubba Ray planted his feet and reversed the whip. Instead of just slamming into the corner, however, Zeta sprang to the second rope, then to the top, and twisted off and backwards into Bubba in a top-rope Zetasault.  
  
Zeta got to his feet, but D-Von had stepped away from his corner to clothesline him to the mat from the apron. He returned to his corner just in time for his half-brother to tag him. D-Von stepped into the ring and started unloading stiff punches to Zeta, then whipping him into the ropes for his spinning back elbow attack. After it connected, he got to his feet and shouted, "Who's da man?!"  
  
At commentary, Rose and Heyman had gotten into an argument about which organization had the better women. "I think the facts speak for themselves," the former owner of ECW replied, "the Alliance has Torrie Wilson and Stacy Keibler."  
  
"You know, Heyman," Rose smirked, "for once I agree. The Alliance does have Torrie Wilson and Stacy Keibler. The WWF, on the other hand, has Trish Stratus, Jacqueline, Ivory, Lita, and now Dee Meaner. Collectively, the WWF women have more wrestling experience than the Alliance women do."  
  
"Yes, but Stacy is the Duchess of Dudleyville, the Wicked Witch of the Wood! She's fiendishly intelligent," Heyman said. "She's the mastermind of the Dudleys."  
  
"Makes sense, seeing as how the Dudleys don't have half a mind between them," Rose replied.  
  
In the ring, the isolation of Zeta had continued. D-Von tagged in Bubba and together they hit a high flapjack on the Z-Man with the blue-streaked hair. Bubba stood up, swung his leg to the side and dropped an elbow onto Zeta's spine. He stood up, then did it a second time. He stood up again, laced his fingers together, and then fell forward, delivering a double axe-handle to his fallen opponent.  
  
"Get up, Zeta!" Bubba shouted at him. Zeta was using Bubba's legs and shirt to try and pull himself up. The white Dudley pounded him back down to the mat, then scoop slammed him near the corner. Bubba Ray then hitched himself to the second rope, poised to deliver a senton, but that's when Dee stepped out of the corner and yelled at Bubba. The Dudley Boy stopped to look at this potential target for a ride through the wood, allowing Zeta enough time to stand up and jam his fist into Bubba Ray's gonads. With a loud groan, Bubba doubled over and fell down face-first to the mat.  
  
Zeta lunged and tagged in the nearest person, Dee. She stepped into the ring just as Bubba tagged in Stacy. The leggy blond blinked and looked at Dee, who bounced back and forth, beckoning with both hands. Hesitantly, Stacy stepped into the ring and circled Dee, who stopped bouncing to prepare to lock up. Instead, however, as they circled, Bubba reached out and grabbed a handful of her brunette hair, then yanked, causing her to fall on the mat. Stacy immediately tagged in D-Von, who leered as he stepped through the ropes, pulling Dee up by the hair.  
  
Now, in most matches, when this sort of thing would happen, the woman would hit the man with a well-placed uppercut to the gonads, then tag in the heavy-hitter of her team. Dee did not do this. Instead, she swung her arm into the backs of D-Von's knees, causing him to trip and fall forward onto his back. The brunette bombshell quickly pounced and straddled D-Von's back, hitting him above the kidneys and in the back of the head with not especially strong blows, but remarkably quick ones. She quickly got back up as D-Von showed signs of recovery. She aimed another roundhouse kick, which he ducked. He lunged, but she jumped toward her corner and tagged in Zed.  
  
D-Von halted almost instantly, but it wasn't enough to stop Zed from punching him to the mat. Bubba Ray ran in and got a punch as well. The burly Z-Man dished out right hands a few more times, then drilled Bubba with a Jawbuster. D-Von staggered, and Zeta slipped into the ring, bouncing back against the ropes on the far side of the ring, shouting, "Z-D!"  
  
D-Von turned around and Zed lifted him up in preparation for the Z-D, but when Zeta launched himself forward, his foot did not go anywhere. Stacy had tripped him up from the outside. Zed contented himself by hitting a spinebuster on D-Von, as Stacy climbed on the apron to pose and smirk arrogantly to the crowd. Heyman was cheering her on as she did so, but his cheers quickly turned to shouts of protest as Dee ran in and grabbed her by the hair, dragging her back into the ring.  
  
Stacy staggered a bit, then turned and slapped Dee across the jaw. The brunette blinked, then kicked Stacy in the gut. The WCW diva doubled over, and Dee quickly turned her around and hooked her in a full nelson. She then suplexed her back onto the back of her head. Stacy rolled out of the ring in pain as Dee stood up, jumping in the air and pumping a fist.  
  
When she turned around, however, Bubba was right there, knocking her to the mat with a stiff right hand. Zeta had been taken out by the larger Dudley with a well-placed legdrop to the head, and D-Von had managed to kick out of a pin attempt. Zed went for the Z-Slam, but D-Von shoved him back into the ropes. As the Z-Man came back, D-Von caught him around the legs and carried him straight back into Bubba's waiting grasp, delivering the infamous Dudley Death Drop. D-Von rolled over and hooked the leg for the 1... 2... 3!  
  
The fans booed as the Dudleys' music played. At ringside, Heyman was laughing at Rose. "So much for the last word in greatness, eh, Billy boy?" the former owner of ECW said. "Now your favorite girl is about to get a trip through a table!"  
  
Sure enough, Bubba was looking at the sprawled form of Dee Meaner, who was leaning on the apron. He turned around and shoved D-Von. "D-Von, get the damn table!" D-Von did so as Bubba left the ring and started to stalk the brunette bombshell. The Z-Men were in varying states of consciousness as the black Dudley set up a table in the corner.  
  
"You think that Dee's gonna eat wood, Heyman?" Rose said. "Well, I'll show you what I think of those damn Dudleys."  
  
By this point, Bubba had brought Dee into the ring, and was already poised on the top rope, waiting for D-Von to pass him the female. Rose abruptly dropped his headset, scooped up his chair, and slid into the ring. D-Von turned to face him and got a mouth full of steel. Dee quickly rolled out of the ring as Bubba started to stand up. Rose bashed him in the head with the chair, making Bubba sit back down. The Californian chucked the chair aside, then climbed on top of the table. He pulled Bubba Ray to his feet, so he stood on the second rope. Rose looked out at the crowd, then jabbed his elbow downward. The fans started to cheer as Rose hooked Bubba's head, then swung around and dropped an elbow on the back of his head, carrying him down face-first through the table with a CRACK!  
  
"Brain Damage!" J.R. crowed. "Brain Damage through the table! Do you like apples, Paul?"  
  
"Oh, shut up!" Heyman snapped.  
  
"How d'you like them apples, you son of a bitch?" J.R. demanded.  
  
"Shut up! SHUT UP!" Heyman yelled. "If Rose thinks he can come out here and interfere in one of our matches, he's sorely mistaken!"  
  
Rose slid out of the ring and retreated up the ramp as his music played, looking back at the ring, where Stacy was trying to figure out what had happened to her meal tickets.  
  
* * *  
  
Billy Rose headed almost immediately for his idling limo in the garage. Just as he was about to get there, however, he ran into Shane McMahon. "Oh, so you're just gonna hit and run, huh?" Shane spat.  
  
"Why the fuck not?" Rose sneered. "How is this so different from what you and WCW did?" Shane scowled at him, prompting the Californian to smirk. "Yeah, not so funny when it's your guys, is it? Get used to it, bud. You'll soon be wishing you'd left WCW's corpse to rot in Atlanta, and that smelly bastard Heyman's gonna wish he'd never left his little pissant bingo hall." He shoved Shane out of his way. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm a very busy man."  
  
Rose threw his bag in the trunk of his limo (Stasiak had been liberated earlier), then turned back to see Shane's furious face. "Listen, you prick bastard, do you know who I am?! I'm Shane McMahon! The owner of WCW! The co-owner of the Alliance! I can have twenty guys beat you to a bloody pulp, with a snap of my fingers!"  
  
Rose's usual smug smirk was gone. He looked directly into Shane's eyes. "And do you know who _I _am, you spoiled wussy-boy? I'm Billy Fucking Rose. The Mental Elite. I ran CIW for nine years. When it comes down to skill, I'm smarter than you, I'm stronger than you, and I'm a better businessman than you. So bring twenty guys. Bring fifty. I am not as alone as you think." He smirked again now. "Let that stew for three days, Shane. See you on Thursday."  
  
He climbed into his limo and shut the door, ordering the driver to take them out of the arena. Inside, Rose turned to Jenny Black, who was seated on the seat next to the other door. "We're going to have to move up the timetable now," she said, "thanks to your attacking the Dudleys."  
  
"We move nothing up," Rose said. "Everything's going exactly as I want it to. I already have someone in mind to be a possible tag-team partner for me on Thursday, in case I need it."  
  
"Mr. Skinner?" she inquired.  
  
Rose laughed as he helped himself to the bourbon in the minibar. "Like the old adage goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Skinner and I may hate each other's guts, but I think we can coexist for one match."  
  
**more to come-  
  
**Next: Cards are glimpsed, plans nearly exposed, but Rose keeps his cards close to his vest as he continues his plans.  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
February 4, 2002


	4. CoExistence

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Thursday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: Cards are glimpsed, plans nearly exposed, but Rose keeps his cards close to his vest as he continues his plans.  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Roger "Zed" Ziger, Mike "Zeta" Zahn, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, Scion, Deidre "Dee Meaner" Menser, Nathan Starr, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission.  
  
Previously: Stephanie ordered members of the Alliance to guard all the doors, barring anyone who wasn't in the Alliance from entering... but she was too late to stop Jericho from getting in. Rose arrived in a limo, and was immediately braced by DDP, Kanyon, and Stasiak, but was saved from a total beatdown by Undertaker and Kane. **Scotty 2 Hotty def.**** The Hurricane** with the Worm and an assist from CIWer Nate Starr (who got in by buying a ticket). Rose went out to do commentary again as **Dudleyz**** & Stacy Keibler def. The Z-Men & Dee Meaner** after a 3-D on Zed. Bubba Ray and D-Von then prepared to tablebomb Dee, but Rose left commentary and hit the Dudleys with a chair, then gave Bubba the Brain Damage off the second rope and through a table. Rose left backstage, but not after having a tense confrontation with Shane McMahon.  
  
**Chapter 4: Co-Existence  
  
Smackdown: January 2  
**  
Most of the WWF and Alliance superstars had sobered up after their New Year's parties, and arrived at the arena for _Smackdown_, ready to kick ass and take names. The four leaders of the Alliance -- Triple H, Shane, Stephanie, and Heyman -- stood in front of the Dudley Boyz. Bubba Ray was rubbing the back of his head, still feeling the effects of the Brain Damage through the table. The Game glared at them. "I want to make something clear to you guys. The Alliance may be in control right now, but we can't afford to lose any matches. The slightest sign of weakness, and Vince is going to pounce. We can't afford that."  
  
Shane spoke up. "What you guys need to do is take out Rose. He's up to something, and I don't need him getting on our case any more than you need me getting on yours." He pointed at them. "I want you to _take him out_! You hear me? Take him out!"  
  
"He's going to be teaming with Matthew Skinner," Triple H pointed out. "We all know they don't get along. Take advantage of that."  
  
"You don't have to worry, Hunter," Bubba Ray promised. "We'll make sure they both taste wood."  
  
"Yeah, testify!" D-Von grinned, and then both Dudleys left the Alliance VIP Room. Triple H shifted his WWF title belt from one shoulder to the other, scowling.  
  
* * *  
  
In the garage, Billy Rose's limo arrived, the Californian climbing out to get his bag out of the trunk before walking in toward the locker rooms. He was wearing his usual unbuttoned red overshirt over his _Every Rose Has Its Thorns_ T-Shirt, shouldering his duffel as he walked the halls. About half-way to his locker room, he was accosted by Brick and The Storm.  
  
Nobody said anything for a long moment. Then Rose said, "There something I can do for you, Storm?"  
  
The Force of Nature replied, "What are you up to?"  
  
Rose responded by smirking in that infuriating way of his. "Whatever do you mean?" he asked innocently.  
  
"Don't play dumb with me!" Matthew Skinner snapped. "You're planning something, aren't you?"  
  
"What if I am?" Rose asked.  
  
"Just giving you fair warning," The Storm said. "If I find out that what you're planning is bad for the WWF, I will personally murder you."  
  
"Well, that's a relief," the Mental Elite said. "You had me worried there."  
  
He started to walk off, but Brick grabbed him by the shirt and pushed him against the wall. The seven-foot-one behemoth leaned down to snarl, "Don't fuck around with us. You screw with the Fed, I will break you."  
  
Brick thrust Rose aside and left with Skinner. As they left, Rose said to their backs, "Relax, guys, what I have planned is far from bad for the WWF. If anything, it will save it!"  
  
* * *  
  
Later, as Rose was preparing for his match, taping up his wrists in his locker room, he found himself graced by the presence of none other than Vincent K. McMahon himself. The Californian finished the wrap on one hand, then set the tape down. "There something I can help you with, Vince?"  
  
"As I'm sure everybody's asked you, what's going on?" the billionaire asked.  
  
Rose shrugged. "Life, the Universe, everything... the WWF's survival."  
  
Vince looked at him. "What did you say?"  
  
The former owner of CIW smirked. "You heard me. Trust me, Vince, big things are afoot, and you'll thank me for it. Believe me, you'll thank me for it."  
  
With that said, Rose shrugged on his unbuttoned red shirt and walked out of the room.  
  
* * *  
  
"The following tag-team Table Match is scheduled for one fall," Tony Chimel announced. A smooth mixture of thunder and a drum roll started, building up to a crash of cymbals/lightning, as the lights went out. _"This is your Storm Warning..." _Guitar chords mixed with a warning siren blared, and then the drums pounded back up along with lightning pyros as the music of Cold Steel rocked the arena. Lights flashed behind the smoke from the pyros as "The Storm" Matthew Skinner walked out, wearing his _Seek Shelter _T-Shirt and carrying the ugly-stick. "Introducing first, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 240 pounds... "The Storm" MATTHEW SKINNER!"  
  
Skinner entered the ring, climbed up on the second rope, then raised the baseball bat in the air. He stepped down, bounced the bat off the ropes a couple times, then set it down in the corner as he removed his sunglasses and paced around the ring. His music faded out and was replaced by something else. _"How long?__ How long? How long? - I said how long? I said how long? I said how long? Until you crack, man..." _Billy Rose walked out, giving his usual smug smirk, raising his arms to the sides, looking one way, then the other before lowering his hands and tossing his head back, smirking at The Storm, who glared at him. "And his tag-team partner, from Los Angeles, California, weighing in at 245 pounds... BILLY ROSE!" Rose slid into the ring, stood, and hit his smug-smirk pose again, then turned around to find Skinner inches away.  
  
"You screw me, Rose, I'll kill you," he growled. "Just reminding you."  
  
Rose just smiled as he removed his shirt and threw it out to the timekeeper. Bombs whistled on the TitanTron as the Dudleys came out, accompanied by the so-called Wicked Witch of the Wood. "And their opponents, from the Alliance, being accompanied by Stacy Keibler, at a combined weight of 515 pounds... Bubba Ray and D-Von, the DUDLEY BOYZ!" The Dudleys carried a table with them. They set this up outside the ring, in front of the ramp, but as they were doing so, both Skinner and Rose left the ring to attack them from behind.  
  
Rose took on Bubba Ray as The Storm pounded on D-Von, whipping him into the barricade, then grabbing his head and hurling him head-long into the steel steps. Stacy retreated part-way up the ramp as this was going on. Rose took Bubba into the ring and quickly got him in the corner. He worked him over with forearm shots, then a few Flair-like arm-chops. The Storm gave D-Von a Russian leg sweep onto the floor, then got in his corner. Rose brought Bubba over to that corner, and bounced his head off Skinner's boot before tagging him in. Skinner continued along the same vein, then whipped him off the ropes. He planted his knee in the white Dudley's gut, causing him to flip over, then dropped an elbow on his sternum.  
  
The Storm grabbed his ankle and started to turn him over, looking for the Twister Anklelock, but Bubba Ray saw what was coming and hastily scrambled to the ropes. The Dudley Boy held onto the bottom rope for dear life, but the Force of Nature just ran off the opposite ropes and came back in a Bossman-like stradle across the back of the neck, throttling him against the rope. As he got up, he turned and dodged a swing by D-Von. The Storm lunged at him to hit back, but D-Von dodged, grabbed his head and jumped off the apron, hot-shotting Skinner off the top rope. He staggered back into Bubba's waiting grasp, who delivered a full-nelson Bubba Bomb.  
  
D-Von was tagged in then, and the black Dudley went to work pummeling on the Force of Nature. He gave him a snapmare, then kicked him in the back, eliciting a wince. D-Von pulled him back to his feet, whipped him into the ropes, swung a clothesline, but missed as The Storm ducked. D-Von responded to that by turning around and hitting his spinning back elbow as he came back. He stomped a few more times, then tagged Bubba back in.  
  
The white Dudley clotheslined The Storm down, then swung his leg aside to deliver an elbow drop to the chest. He stood back up and quickly did it a second time, then stood up again. He thumped his fists on his shoulders, then a second time, except putting his fingers in the 3-D hand-sign, then raised his hands up and linked them together to deliver a double axe-handle to the sternum. He then got up and ran at Rose, clocking him across the jaw. The Californian immediately tried to get in the ring to retaliate, but the referee held him back as Bubba scoop slammed The Storm and spread his legs to the corner. D-Von jumped off the top rope in a Wassap Drop (sans Wassap) to Skinner's exposed groin. He got up and did his victory dance. Bubba Ray turned to Stacy, who was watching outside the ring. "Stacy! Get the tables!"  
  
The Duchess of Dudleyville nodded and threw up the ring apron to pull the hardware out. She lifted it with a touch of difficulty, then slid it into the ring. Bubba and D-Von set it up in the middle of the ring, as the referee was still trying to restrain Rose. D-Von whipped Skinner into the ropes, preparing for a table-ized 3-D, but he held onto the ropes as Rose shoved aside the referee and tackled Bubba. D-Von rushed the Force of Nature, who ducked and back-dropped him over the top rope to the floor.  
  
Rose had locked Bubba into the Deadly Blossom, weakening his shoulder and arm, hopefully to keep him from being able to execute any finishing moves. Finally, he relented and released him, then stood him up before putting Bubba's head between his knees, setting him up for the Rose's Thorn. As he prepared to gutwrench him, however, Stacy jumped up on the ring apron and distracted him. This allowed Bubba to get free and low-blow the Mental Elite, then whip him into the ropes to prepare for a back body drop into the table. However, Skinner had moved the table, so Rose hit nothing but mat. The Storm stood the table up in the corner, ECW-style, then swiftly kicked Bubba in the gut when he turned around to investigate the lack of broken wood.  
  
The Storm then went to whip Bubba into the table, but D-Von got on the apron and pulled the table out of the way. Bubba hit the turnbuckle and groaned, staggering back into a reverse DDT from Rose. Skinner rolled out of the ring to go after D-Von. Rose worked over his opponent with some stomps and elbow drops as The Storm was caught by surprise by D-Von. The black Dudley had grabbed the ring bell and clobbered him with it, then started brutalizing him on the outside, whipping him headlong into the steel ring post.  
  
Bubba hit Rose with another low blow, then rammed him shoulder-first into the steel ring post. The white Dudley used that time to set up the table in the middle of the ring. As he was doing this, D-Von abruptly rolled into the ring, pulled out Rose, and whipped him into the ropes. He caught him around the knees, then lifted him up and backward, over the table, and into Bubba Ray's waiting arms. They brought him down hard in a 3-D through the wood with a sick _CRACK!_ The referee called for the bell as the Dudleys promptly left the ring to escape the wrath of a pissed-off Force of Nature, who rolled into the ring with ugly-stick in hand.  
  
The Storm glared at the retreating boys from Dudleyville, who grinned and flashed him the 3-D hand-sign. But then the fans started cheering as two forms came running down the ramp. One was seven-foot-one, the other wore black robes and a hood. Scion and Brick blindsided the Dudleys, knocking them back down the ramp and into the ring. D-Von was rolled into the ring by Scion, straight to the waiting Skinner, who kicked him in the gut, then turned him around to hook him in the Downdraft. Scion climbed to the top rope, then raised his arms to the sides. He swung them down, and leapt off the top in the Jesus Wept senton bomb.  
  
Outside, Brick grabbed Bubba Ray by the throat, then lifted him overhead in a gorilla press with a roar. He held him there for a moment, then swung him down into the Breaker Chokeslam, in the process crashing him through the table the Dudleys had set up at the ramp earlier. The Storm started yelling trash-talk at D-Von, who was curled up, holding his ribs where Scion had slammed into him.  
  
Then, Billy Rose was helped out of the wreckage of the table by Scion. The Californian held his ribs also, where he'd crashed through wood, but he went to stand over D-Von. He lifted his hand, and made a hand-sign, extending all his fingers but his middle finger and thumb, with which he made a circle. He held this over the twitching black Dudley, then looked up at Scion, who gazed back at him impassively as Rose showed him the hand-sign.  
  
The Storm, meanwhile, blinked and stared at Rose, then turned him to so he could face him. Rose lowered his hand. "What the fuck is this?" Skinner demanded, making the hand-sign himself. "Why you flashing that?"  
  
"You'll find out," Rose said simply. "You'll find out."  
  
The Union Underground was playing as Rose left the ring. Brick stared at him as he walked by, while Skinner and Scion looked at each other in the ring.  
  
* * *  
  
As Billy Rose left his locker room not too long after, he passed by several WWF locker rooms as well. The Hardys and Lita watched him as he went by, as did Undertaker and Kane. The Z-Men and Dee Meaner were hanging around outside their commandeered restroom. As he passed, Zed nodded to him curtly, as did Dee. Zeta flashed that same hand-sign. Rose's expression did not change from his usual smirk as he returned to his waiting limo. He tossed his duffel in the door, then turned to see Shane McMahon staring at him from the hallway.  
  
Rose just smirked and again flashed the hand-sign. Then he sung softly, to himself, though in the silence of the garage, the owner of WCW could hear him just fine. "You cannot stop us, you cannot bring us down..." Then he smirked, sliding a hand through his blond hair. "We are alive..."  
  
As Shane tried to make sense of that, Rose got into the limo and closed the door. A few moments later, it started up and drove out of the arena.  
  
**more**** to come-  
  
**Next: On _Raw_, Rose's plans become clear when he vents his frustrations toward Paul E. Heyman.  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
February 7, 2002


	5. We Are Alive

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Monday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: Cards are glimpsed, plans nearly exposed, but Rose keeps his cards close to his vest as he continues his plans.  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission.  
  
Previously: The leaders of the Alliance made it clear to the Dudleys that failure to defeat The Storm and Billy Rose in their table match would not be tolerated. Upon his arrival, Rose is confronted by The Storm and Brick, who make it clear they won't like it if whatever he has planned is bad for the WWF. When Vince McMahon went to Rose to find out what he was up to, Rose just told him "You'll thank me for it." **Dudleyz def. The Storm & Billy Rose** in a Table Match by 3-D'ing Rose through a table. Before they could leave, however, Scion and Brick attacked them, with Bubba Ray getting a Breaker Chokeslam through a table and D-Von a Downdraft, then Scion's Jesus Wept senton bomb. Rose then flashed a mysterious hand-sign -- all fingers extended but the middle finger and thumb, which form a circle -- to the fallen Dudleys. When he left the arena, Rose saw Shane McMahon watching him, and taunted him with the same hand-sign before leaving.  
  
**Chapter 5: We Are Alive  
  
Raw: January 6  
**  
The Storm -- otherwise known as Matthew Skinner -- paced in the Z-Men's commandeered restroom. It was a tad crowded in there, since not only were Zed & Zeta there, so were Dee, Rain, Scion, Brick, and Stone Cold. "I don't know what Rose has planned, but I think he's going to go public with it tonight."  
  
"You think he's got bad intentions?" Austin inquired.  
  
"You kidding? This is Billy Fucking Rose we're talking about," Skinner replied. "He's up to something bad. Maybe not right away, but whatever he has in mind has to be bad news."  
  
"Relax, man," Zed spoke up. "You nearly gave yourself a coronary last time you got all worked up about Rose."  
  
"Yeah, crank the adrenaline down a few dozen notches, okay?" Zeta said.  
  
The Storm seethed, then snapped, "Shit! I have to get some air." He stomped out of the restroom and toward the cafeteria.  
  
Rain, Austin, and Brick shared a look, then followed. Zed, Zeta, Dee, and Scion looked at each other, then shrugged.  
  
* * *  
  
Billy Rose arrived in his limo as usual, except this time when he got out he was accompanied by a raven-haired woman in a dark expensive business suit. She followed him as he headed for his locker room. His red shirt was buttoned up, and he wore some black T-Shirt underneath, but its logo or design was covered up. He walked past his locker room, however, and headed straight for the VIP Room with the "Mr. McMahon" sign on it.  
  
Rose smirked as he entered. "Hiya, Vince," he said by way of greeting. He picked up a piece of paper that had the schedule of matches on it. He'd gotten a copy of it earlier in the day, and was pleased to see no major changes on it. "Looking at this, I have to go get ready for the Dudleys' match."  
  
Vince blinked. "Um, Billy, a few things... first, who's this woman, second, you're not in the Dudleys' match, and third, what the hell are you talking about?"  
  
Rose smirked. "All will become clear, but just so you're not totally in the dark, my associate, Jenny Black, here, will bring you up to speed, even as I do the same for that fat bastard Heyman out in the ring." He walked straight out of the room, while Jenny started explaining things to Mr. McMahon.  
  
* * *  
  
The Dudleys match that night was against Scion and Brick, in retaliation for their running out to help The Storm and Rose last Thursday. The Dudleys had taken control of the match, isolating Scion and working him over in their corner. Brick watched with a forbidding expression, and everyone who looked at him knew the match was all but over when he got tagged in.  
  
But that never happened. Bubba Ray and D-Von both took a swing at him and managed to knock him off the apron and into the barricade. They were prepared to set up Scion for a 3-D when Billy Rose walked down the ramp, smirking.  
  
"What's he doing out here?" J.R. wondered.  
  
"About to get his ass kicked by the Dudleys!" Paul Heyman replied. "He has no right to be out here."  
  
"Billy Rose seems to be smirking about something," Jim Ross said, noting that usual expression on his face. "What's he-- wait a minute." On the ramp, Rose slowly raised his fist up until it was level with his head, then flashed that same hand-sign he had last Thursday -- all fingers but the middle finger and thumb extended, with those two forming a circle. "That's that same gesture he made last week on _Smackdown._" He held this hand-sign for several moments, and then things went crazy.  
  
From the front rows of the audience at ringside, people seemed to just boil out of it, jumping over the barricade and rushing into the ring, blindsiding the Dudleys, swarming about them. Rose laughed, strutting along to ringside as the Dudleys were besieged upon by numerous people.  
  
Two tall men, identical in appearance aside from the tattoos one had on his arms, whipped D-Von into the ropes. One then caught him by the leg and hoisted him high in the air. As he came down, the other twin added his own strength into a big tandem powerbomb. Bubba was being attacked by three men, one with dark red hair and a pointed goatee, one with his blond hair tied back in a ponytail, and a well-muscled black man with a flat-top haircut. Finally, they let him go, and the red-haired man grabbed Bubba by the head as though for a bulldog. He ran at the corner, jumped, planted his feet on the turnbuckle, then pushed off, flipping over Bubba's head, twisting in mid-air, and coming down in a big neckbreaker.  
  
"What the-- _What the hell is going on?! Who are all these people?!_"Heyman was screaming.  
  
Nate Starr was among the people who had jumped out of the crowd. He grinned, then jumped to the top rope, then launched off in his Super-Starr Press onto D-Von. A smallish man with slicked-back black hair directed a larger man with a mop of hair on the top of his otherwise shaved head to stand Bubba Ray up. The smaller man stomped his foot a few times, then delivered a superkick in the vein of Shawn Michaels to the white Dudley. As Bubba staggered from the blow, the larger man caught him by the neck with both hands, lifted him up, then threw him to the mat in a variant of the Baldo Bomb.  
  
Rose laughed again, then took a microphone from the timekeeper. "Hello, Heyman!" he grinned. "I suppose you're wondering what the hell I'm doing out here, and just who all these people are? Well, I'll tell you!"  
  
He climbed onto the announcers' table, then stood and proclaimed, "Ladies and gentlemen, for the past two and a half months, you've heard all about WWF versus WCW, WWF versus ECW. You saw Shane and Stephanie McMahon team up to make life extraordinarily painful for their father, the WWF. You listened to Shane and Stephanie whine about how they were tired of waiting for Vince McMahon to die. You listened to Paul Heyman rant about wrestling and the 'Tribe of Extreme.'"  
  
Rose had said this first part with a patronizing smile, but his expression soured as he went on, "But I'm here to tell you that long before Paul E. Heyman made extreme wrestling a viable force in this industry, there was a forgotten league that was extreme long before ECW stood for Extreme Championship Wrestling. There was a wrestling league whose wrestlers would have given their right arms to get their league the nice, fat television contract that Paul Heyman had. They would have given their left arms to get a contract with WCW. They were there, pouring their blood, their sweat, their very souls into the ring night after night, week after week, month after month, year after damn year, and not a soul in the world cared about it, because that little wrestling fed was obscure, forgotten. And _why _was it forgotten? Because everyone's extreme wrestling quota was already filled by the second-born, it was filled by ECW!"  
  
Rose turned and glared down at Heyman, who was staring up at him, mouth hanging open. "Well, they aren't going to be forgotten anymore! They've sat by for too long while they watch the great pretenders get all the glory." The Californian lifted his head and looked out at the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am out here to announce that as of this moment, I, Billy Rose, am hereby levelling the playing field in the favor of the WWF! I am hereby bringing in that forgotten wrestling league. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you..." He gestured to the ring. "**_C... I... W!_**"  
  
The fans, who had been watching Rose with bizarre silence, started to cheer. The Mental Elite then turned back to Heyman with a smirk. "And just as WCW launched it's invasion, CIW is hereby launching it's _counter_-invasion! Just as ECW took the invasion to the extreme, CIW is bringing it to a whole _new _extreme!"  
  
Rose dropped the mike straight in Heyman's lap, then ripped open his red shirt to reveal his T-Shirt sported a sharp-pointed legend that read: **_C I W_**. The I looked like a railroad spike, and electric bolts decorated the letters. The assembled CIWers in the ring all pulled off their overshirts to reveal they wore the same T-Shirt, as a song by Offspring started blaring on the P.A._ "You cannot stop us, you cannot bring us down, never give up, we go on and on, you'll never break us, never bring us down... we... are... ALIVE!"  
  
_As the fans started cheering more loudly, a few scattered "C-I-W!" chants going, Rose jumped off the announcers' desk and walked triumphantly up the ramp, as the CIWers followed. They all gathered at the top of the ramp, faced the ring, and then, simultaneously, they all raised that same hand-sign, the CIW hand-sign.  
  
* * *  
  
In the back, Matthew Skinner watched this on the monitor. He ripped off his sunglasses and snarled at Rose's triumphant smirk. "You fucking son of a bitch," was all he said before he stalked back to his locker room, grabbed his bags, and left the building.  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: CIW has arrived in the WWF. Feuds are struck up as the WWF/CIW Coalition takes on the WCW/ECW Alliance.  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
February 8, 2002


	6. A Whole New Extreme

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Monday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: CIW has arrived in the WWF. Feuds are struck up as the WWF/CIW Coalition takes on the WCW/ECW Alliance.  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission.  
  
Previously: The Storm was suspicious of Rose's motives and intentions for whatever it was he had planned. Billy Rose arrived with his sometime-manager from CIW, Jenny Black, and went straight to Vince McMahon, leaving Jenny to bring Vince up to speed. In the ring, the Dudleys were fighting Brick and Scion when Rose came out. Once he had their attention, Rose flashed the mysterious hand-sign again, and all of a sudden, CIW wrestlers swarmed out of the crowd and attacked the Dudleys en masse. Two twin wrestlers delivered a big tandem powerbomb to D-Von, as three men triple-teamed Bubba Ray, before one of them delivered a tornado bulldog into a hangman's neckbreaker off the turnbuckle. Nate Starr then hit his reverse 450 splash to D-Von. Then a smaller man and a larger brutish man hit a superkick to Bubba Ray, setting him up for a Baldo Bomb variant. Rose then sauntered to the announce table and proceeded to cut a promo, reminding the world that long before ECW became "extreme," there was a forgotten wrestling league that did "extreme." Rose then announced he was levelling the playing field and introduced CIW! "Just as WCW launched it's invasion, CIW is hereby launching it's _counter_-invasion!" Rose proclaimed. "Just as ECW took the invasion to the extreme, CIW is bringing it to a whole _new _extreme!" He and all of the CIW wrestlers then revealed their CIW T-Shirts and flashed the CIW hand-sign. Backstage, a furious Matthew Skinner stalked out of the arena.  
  
**Chapter 6: A Whole New Extreme  
  
Smackdown: January 9  
**  
The man called The Storm pulled into the arena three days after the launching of the "counter-invasion." Rain was with him, but she wisely kept quiet during the trip when she saw the dark, angry look on his face. When they arrivaed, Matthew Skinner grabbed his duffel out of the backseat and started for his locker room. Rain followed, but they hadn't gotten far when Jonathan Coachman approached with a cameraman. "Storm! Storm! After what happened Monday night, I just wanted to get your thoughts on--"  
  
He was quickly cut off when Skinner pinned him to the wall with one hand. "Piss. Off," was all he said. He turned Coach loose and marched off. Rain shrugged to Coach and left with her boyfriend.  
  
The two of them arrived at the Z-Men's usual commandeered restroom, but when they walked in, they found both of them wearing CIW T-Shirts. The front bore the CIW logo, the back read _Innovators of Extreme since 1990_. The WWF Tag Team Champions looked up as he walked in. Skinner's eyes narrowed behind his sunglasses. He scowled. "Oh, so the second Billy Fuckin Rose says the three magic letters, you guys jump aboard?"  
  
"Hey, come on, man," Zed started to say, but The Storm cut him off.  
  
"And they call Heyman a Kool-Aid merchant. Jesus Christ! Have you guys forgotten for a second what that prick bastard's done?" Skinner threw his duffel onto the sink counter and ripped off his shades. "I mean for fuck's sake!! Zait, have you forgotten he was the one who ordered Brick to break a steel chair over your head?"  
  
"No, I ain't forgotten it, man, but, are you fucking kidding me?!" Zeta said. "We're talking about C-I-fucking-W! What were we always talking about when we were living in that house together in California? Making it to the WWF, man!"  
  
"And that's what you did! You're the Tag Champions!"  
  
"Look, Matthew," Zed interrupted, "you've got valid points, but Rose personally asked us to come back. We're just showing where our roots are. Nothing wrong with that."  
  
"There's everything wrong with that," The Storm snapped. "What happens when the WWF and CIW send the Alliance back to the unemployment line, huh? You think Vince is gonna let CIW stick around?"  
  
He shook his head with disgust, grabbed his bag and stomped out of the room. Rain sighed. "He's in a really bad mood right now," she said by way of apology. "This whole CIW thing's got him really worked up."  
  
"It's okay," Zed replied. "He'll get over it."  
  
* * *   
  
"Oh, you should've seen the look on that fat lard-ass' face!" Rose laughed as his limo pulled into the arena. "When I said 'C... I... W!' you could practically see his poor little mind snap with fear."  
  
"Yes, Vince was quite surprised as well," Jenny Black replied. "Though he was quite pleased by the time you were finished."  
  
Rose smirked. Then he looked over at her. "What's the word on matches tonight?"  
  
"Victor's teaming with Kurt against Rhyno and Triple H in the semi-main event at the top of the second hour," Jenny replied, consulting a paper. "Nate's got a match against Hurricane, and Mr. Skinner's got the main event against Booker T... and for some reason Shane and Stephanie have made it for the WCW title."  
  
"Splendid," Rose smirked. "This will be quite a night, for us and the Alliance."  
  
* * *  
  
Rose found The Storm brooding in the cafeteria, stirring a cup of coffee. The Californian grinned. "Hey, there's the guy I been meaning to talk to! Skinner! What's the word?"  
  
Matthew Skinner did not tell him what the word was, nor gave any impression that he was even acknowledging Rose's presence. He tapped the stirring stick of his coffee against the side of the cup and stared into the swirling brown liquid.  
  
Rose blinked. "What? You're gonna give me the cold shoulder? Is this because I didn't come to you sooner about the whole CIW thing? Sorry about that, I just didn't want it to get leaked and have Shane, Steph, and that idiot Heyman get word of it."  
  
The Storm still didn't even turn around to look at him. He stirred his coffee again.  
  
Rose paused for possible input, got none, and continued, "So, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. But, now that that's over with, I want to personally invite you to come back to CIW."  
  
Still no verbal response, but this time Skinner set his cup down, leaned forward on his hands, staring down at the table. The general impression was that he was in a foul mood, and anybody who happened to be in his general vicinity would be well-advised to leave.  
  
Rose sensed this immediate change and took a step back. "Well, I can see you've got your mind on other things. I'll let you cool off before you tell me you're coming back to CIW."  
  
He started to leave, but suddenly The Storm's hand flashed up and grabbed him by the shirt. He halted him, then pulled him back, turning his head to look at him. He pulled off his sunglasses, cold gray eyes glaring with hatred into Rose's eyes. He held this stare for several seconds, then put his shades back on. He turned and glared still at Rose, then raised both hands in front of his face. Both hands had the middle fingers extended. As Rose blinked in shock, The Storm turned and walked away.  
  
* * *  
  
"The following tag-team contest is scheduled for one fall!" Low, aggressive music played as Rhyno came out on the ramp, wearing his green-on-black outfit. "Introducing first, from the Alliance, weighing in at 280 pounds... RHYNO!" The Detroit Man-Beast thumped his chest with a fist, then raised his fists in the air, bellowing, "Who's da man?!"  
  
The opening metal guitar chords of Motorhead rocked through the arena. _"It's time to play the Game... time to play the Game!"_ Boos cascaded from the rafters as Triple H stepped out onto the stage. He proceeded to go through his entire, extended entrance routine, sucking in a mouthful of water before spewing it into the air in a big cloud from the apron. "And his tag-team partner, weighing in at 247 pounds... he is the World Wrestling Federation Champion... TRIPLE H!" Triple H entered the ring, posed on the corner, then turned and shared a look with Rhyno before facing the ramp.  
  
The patriotic music started playing and the fans started cheering for Kurt Angle, who stopped halfway down the ramp to raise his hands in the air, pyros going off behind him. "And their opponents, introducing first, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, weighing in at 225 pounds... KURT ANGLE!" Angle waited at the bottom of the ramp as he looked in at the two Alliance members.  
  
The TitanTron lit up with a spinning CIW logo, as Offspring sang, _"We.... are... ALIVE!"_ The logo stopped spinning as the I of the logo spiked between the C and W, and then a different video started up. The music that played was not too dissimilar to Angle's, quite triumphant and almost patriotic-sounding, but more like a victory march than anything else. A large letter V flashed periodically, along with the name of the man who walked down the ramp to join him. "And his tag-team partner, representing CIW, from San Diego, California, weighing in at 255 pounds... VICTOR E.!" He was a bit taller than Angle, with golden-brown hair and a beard, bright green eyes. His wrestling attire consisted of blue-and-black tights, with a silver V on the right leg, and the name VICTOR down his left leg. As he joined Angle, Victor raised his arms in the air and flashed first the CIW hand-sign, then a V-for-victory sign.  
  
Angle and Victor stepped into the ring, where Rhyno and Triple H immediately attacked. The last ECW Champion went after the last CIW Champion, a fact not lost on announcers Michael Cole and Tazz, as Angle paired off with the Game. The Man-Beast had the early advantage, but soon Victor reversed the momentum and cornered Rhyno, pummeling him hard in the early-going, then starting to focus on Rhyno's knee, kicking it, wrenching it. Angle and Triple H had started brawling on the outside before the referee separated them.  
  
Victor hung Rhyno's leg on the ropes and started kicking it, then had to relent as the referee, Mike Sparks, told him to let him out of the corner. He snapmared Rhyno to the mat, then picked up the leg again. He kicked the knee, then wrenched the leg to the side and dropped his leg across it, twisting Rhyno's leg upward after he did so. He wrenched this leg-lock in for a moment or so, then released it and tagged in Angle.  
  
Together, the Olympian and the CIWer stood Rhyno up and whipped him into the ropes, then caught him with a double clothesline. They stomped him a few times before Victor cleared out of the ring. Angle continued working over Rhyno, going back to the knee that Victor had weakened. Rhyno managed to rally briefly, pummeling the patriotic superstar with right hands, but Angle kicked out the knee, and the Man-Beast went down. Kurt then picked up Rhyno's foot and started to wrap his arms around his foot, looking for his Angle Lock submission. Rhyno, however, fought out of it and grabbed the ropes. Referee Sparks pulled Angle back, and that distraction allowed Rhyno to lunge and tag in Triple H.  
  
The Game charged at Angle, but the Olympian wrapped his arms around him, looking for a belly-to-belly suplex. Hunter, however, raked Angle's eyes and started slugging him in the head. He put his focus on Angle's arm, but Kurt managed to rally back and hit a back suplex on Triple H. He quickly tagged in Victor, who came at the WWF Champion ready to grapple. The two locked up, with the slightly larger Victor getting the early advantage, until Triple H started wrenching the last CIW Champion's arm back. Victor responded to that by snapping his thumb in the Game's eye, then clipping his leg with a drop toehold.  
  
Victor started twisting Hunter's leg, apparently looking for a deathlock or STF, but Rhyno ran into the ring and clubbed him in the back. As Victor started to turn around, the ECWer grabbed his arm and snapped him forward, thrusting his shoulder into Victor's arm. The Californian shouted in pain for a moment before Triple H chop-blocked the back of his knee, taking him to the mat. Sparks ordered Rhyno out of the ring as Triple H sat Victor up and started delivering measured punches to his temple. Angle was shouting at Victor to make a tag, but unfortunately for the CIWer, the two Alliance wrestlers did not have that on their agenda.  
  
Triple H worked Victor over a bit longer, then re-tagged Rhyno, who still favored his knee. The Detroit native pinned Victor in the corner and started pounding him in the ribs. He prepared to whip him into the opposite corner and follow up with a spear to the ribs, but Victor showed amazing ring presence. When he hit the opposite corner, he quickly dropped low and clipped Rhyno's knee again, so that his head smacked into the bottom turnbuckle. The Man-Beast shouted with pain as a winded Victor crawled toward Kurt Angle.  
  
The Game, however, would have none of that fair play crap tonight. As Victor prepared to tag in Angle, Hunter ran into the ring and slugged him off the apron, stomping Victor in the head. Triple H then retreated to his corner as Rhyno started to line Victor up for the Gore. The last CIW Champion started to pull himself to his feet in the corner, while Tazz was shouting, "Here it comes, Cole! Here it comes!"  
  
At last Victor turned around, but when Rhyno charged, he lunged away and slapped Kurt Angle's waiting hand. The crowd popped as the Olympic gold-medalist charged into the ring and took Rhyno back down with a clothesline, then did the same to Triple H. Rhyno got back up, so Angle kicked him in the gut, then spun him around and rammed his shoulder into the steel ring post. Hunter got back to his feet, charged, but Angle caught him and hit the belly-to-belly suplex.  
  
Victor got back in the ring and took down Rhyno in the corner, starting to brawl with him. Kurt was continually pummeling and pounding Triple H in the opposite corner, then hit the Angleslam on him. Quickly thereafter, Victor kneed Rhyno in the gut and set him up for a pumphandle slam. Upon getting him on his shoulder, however, Victor swung him so he was more in the torture rack position. Victor pivoted a bit in a circle, then spun the other way, swinging Rhyno out into a flapjack variant. "There it is, Tazz! Victor calls that the Victory Slam!"  
  
Angle made the cover on Triple H, and in spite of the fact that he wasn't the legal man, Sparks counted the fall on the Game anyway. 1... 2... 3! Angle's music played as he stood up, whooping, pulling down the straps on his wrestling attire. His CIW partner got up, grinning and raising his hands and flashing the V-for-victory sign again. "Here are your winners, KURT ANGLE and VICTOR E.!"  
  
The two members of the WWF/CIW Coalition headed back up the ramp. Angle was yelling back at Hunter, while Victor just smirked and flashed the CIW hand-sign.  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, The Storm was walking back to his locker room, adjusting his wrist tape and fingerless leather gloves. He stopped at a water fountain to get a drink when he heard an unctuous voice he could have done without that day.  
  
"Well, if it isn't Matthew Skinner," came the voice of the so-called Mad Scientist of Sports Entertainment. "Say, I saw you talking with -- or should I say being talked at by -- Billy Rose earlier. Couldn't help notice the rather emphatic way you told him to get lost."  
  
The Storm sighed and stood up, wiping water from his mouth as Paul Heyman continued talking. "I can understand why you wouldn't want anything to do with Billy Rose, Storm. After all, he's a prick bastard, right? Plus there's all that bad blood between you and him. Why be anywhere close to him? And if CIW's teaming with the WWF, you know he's going to be everywhere."  
  
Skinner held up a hand, not looking directly at Heyman. "Are you trying to convince me to join the Alliance?"  
  
"See? That's what I admire about you!" the Alliance leader said. "You're intelligent. Yes, I am offering you a place in the Alliance. Why not take it? Between you and me, we both know that the WWF and CIW don't stand a chance against the Alliance."  
  
The Storm gave a smirk. Not one that said he agreed with him, but one that said he was up to something. He turned and at last looked at Heyman. "Paul, I wanna take you on a little trip down Memory Lane, okay?" Receiving a nod, he continued, "It's roughly two, two and a half years ago. I'd left CIW `cuz my contract had expired. I'd just finished a quick tour of one of the Japanese circuits, and I come back, looking for some promotion to work here in the States." He paused, and Paul nodded to indicate he was with him.  
  
"I go to WCW and they reject me without even looking at me," he says clearly. Paul blinked and started to speak, but The Storm continued, "I then decide to keep with the whole extreme wrestling thing and I go to ECW." He looked at Heyman intently. "And understand this, not only did I submit an application and all that, I actually put down a few hundred bucks of my hard-earned _cash _-- cash which I was in short supply of -- to fly all the way to Philadelphia from Dallas to personally pitch my case to you. To _you_ specifically."  
  
Now Heyman looked nervous, and not confident. Skinner went on, "I wasn't even half-way done with my speech when you cut me off and say, 'You're from the Californian circuits?' And when I say yes, you say, 'Sorry, I don't want any of you backyard wrestlers in my organization.'" Heyman flinched as The Storm said this. "Backyard wrestlers," he repeated. "Paul, do you have any idea how much blood, how much sweat, how much pain I endured, I spilt during my five years in CIW? I may not like Rose and I may not want anything to do with him, but I will _never_ work for someone who _belittled _what I did for five damn years."  
  
Heyman gulped, and The Storm sneered, "So once you said that, I said, 'Fuck you,' packed up my bags and went straight back to Dallas, and from there I went right back to Japan. And less than six months later, I get a call from Jim Ross and the WWF." He shook his head. "You lost out, Paulie. You had a chance to get a wrestler who would have been willing to do all the crap you did in your little pissant bingo hall, and then some, but you pissed it away." He glared at him. "You don't get any second chances in life, Paul. I don't want a damn thing to do with WCW, with ECW, and I for damn sure don't want a damn thing to do with both of them combined. So you can take your little offer to join, wad it up into a little teeny ball, and shove it straight up your fat ass." He then abruptly grabbed Heyman by the back of the head and rammed him straight into the wall.  
  
The Storm then shifted his grip to the lapels of his leather trench coat, pivoted and hurled the ECW mastermind headlong into a stack of equipment cases. He turned and stomped off down the hall, hearing Heyman's voice scream out pathetically, "_OOOWWWWW!!_"  
  
* * *  
  
_"Can you dig it, Sucka?!" _Music played over the TitanTron as two men walked out of the entrance arch. One was jumping about on the stage, practically skipping, wearing a _Shane O Mac - wCw - The Money _jersey. The other wore black trunks with a white design on the back, black boots, and black gloves. "The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the WCW Championship!" Tony Chimel announced. "Introducing first, representing the Alliance, being accompanied by the Owner of WCW, Shane McMahon, weighing in at 250 pounds... he is the WCW Champion... BOOKER T.!"  
  
Booker T. stopped part way down the ramp, lowering his head, then shaking it about for several moments, then raised his arms in the air, causing pyros to go off at the top of the ramp. Flames gouted out as he continued down the ramp, wearing his ten-pounds of gold on his waist. He climbed into the ring and posed on the ropes as Shane bounced back and forth. He unstrapped his belt and held it as his music faded out. He and Shane exchanged a few angry words, apparently plotting revenge on Heyman's behalf.  
  
Thunder rumbled, mixed with a drumroll. The fans started cheering as a crash of lightning lit the screen, _"This is your Storm Warning..." _This was followed by the wail of a siren and pounding drums. A harsh vocalist roared, _"I'm a Force of Nature, I'm outta control. I live in the lightning, let the thunder roll. I kill the sunshine, bring on the rain. I am The Storm, and I'll bring ya the pain!" _The Storm himself walked out onto the stage, wearing his _GeT SeT To GeT WReCKeD_ T-Shirt. He raised his head and stared through his black sunglasses at Booker in the ring as he walked down the ramp. "And his opponent, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 240 pounds... "The Storm," MATTHEW SKINNER!"  
  
Booker paced in the ring as Skinner walked up the steps and onto the apron. The Force of Nature glared at Shane and shouted at him to get out of the ring. He stepped into the ring, pulling off his shades as he turned toward the corner, then abruptly swung around and charged at Booker, attacking him with right hands. The lights came back up and the bell rang to signify the start of the match. Skinner pummeled away on the 'Bookerman,' backing him into the corner, where he started to bruise his chest with knife-edge chops and open-handed slaps to the sternum. The audience whooped with each chop and slap, cheering on the WWF superstar as he whipped Booker across the ring and charged in with a clothesline.  
  
The former Harlem Heat member, however, blocked with a boot, then stepped out of the corner to go for a double axe-handle. The Storm caught his hands as he swung them down, then slipped his hands into Booker's armpits, hoisting him as he dropped backwards, flinging Booker in a belly-to-belly throw. The WCW Champion expressed pain as he rolled to his feet, but Skinner quickly speared him beneath the ribs and carried him back into the corner. There, he started pounding him again, this time stomping him down to the mat.  
  
Referee Nick Patrick pulled The Storm back to lecture him about the rules, and the distraction allowed Shane to pull Booker out of the ring. The two of them started to head toward the ramp, but Skinner had other plans. He grabbed the top rope, crouched, then jumped and shot himself over the top rope, coming down in a _pescado _onto Booker and Shane. He started to pummel Booker again, but Shane hit him in the back with a double axe-handle. This caused the Force of Nature to stand up, face Shane, and feint at him, making the WCW Owner to backpedal around the corner of the ring.  
  
Turning back to Booker T., The Storm was caught by surprise as he was suddenly grabbed by the leg and waist, lifted up and dropped face-first on the ring steps. Yelling, Booker stood up and pulled Skinner up by the back of his shirt, then chopped him across the chest. Wincing, he staggered back, then got chopped again. The Bookerman then lifted him up and dropped him throat-first on the barricade. He then pulled him back and rolled him back into the ring, looking for his scissors-kick finisher (which was technically an axe-kick, but the commentators flubbed it) as Skinner got to his feet. When Booker came off the ropes and swung his foot down, however, The Storm backed up and raised his head out of range.  
  
Turning around, Booker _oof_ed as he was kicked in the gut, but managed to reverse an Irish whip to the ropes. The Storm ducked a clothesline as he came back, but Booker just pivoted around and swung his forearm into Skinner's head as he rebounded again. The Storm rolled onto his stomach, clutching his face as he slowly got up. Booker stood well back, partly staring at his gloved hand and partly at Skinner. Once The Storm was on his feet, Booker leapt, aiming a Harlem Side-Kick, but Skinner ducked, and the WCW Champion's momentum carried him forward until his leg got caught on the top rope.  
  
The Storm reacted quickly, grabbing Booker's head for a neckbreaker. With his legs tangled in the ropes, however, the Book did not completely hit the mat, intensifying the pain of the move. The Storm stood up again after delivering the move and started to hook Booker in a full nelson, setting him up for the Downdraft. Shane, however, slipped in from behind and delivered a blatant low-blow in front of Nick Patrick. The shady WCW official, however, did not call for the disqualification.  
  
The Storm staggered away from Booker as he covered his wounded gonads, allowing Shane to help Booker disentangle his feet. He then launched himself at Skinner, clubbing him to the mat with a forearm smash, then started mauling his back with twin hand-smacks and forearms. He set him up for the so-called scissors-kick again, and this time hit the blow. After executing his finisher, however, Booker was distracted by staring at his right hand, eyes wide and head convulsing. Shane, however, managed to yell at him from ringside and convince him not to succumb to the allure of the spinaroonie.  
  
But when he moved in for the pin, Skinner's hand suddenly swept up and tripped Booker to the mat. Rolling to his knees, the Force of Nature grabbed Booker's ankle and turned him onto his back, planting one foot on the free ankle and pinning it down as he wrenched the other in the Twister Anklelock. Booker started yelling in pain, scrambling for the ropes. Nick Patrick tried to avoid looking at Booker, lest he see the WCW Champion tapping out. He even went so far as to move around so he was standing behind Skinner.  
  
That was when Shane slid into the ring, steel chair in hand. The Storm released Booker and stood up, just in time for Shane to leap forward and strike him in the head with his trademark flying chairshot. Skinner staggered back into Patrick and knocked him down as Shane dropped his chair and started pummeling The Storm with right hands. The crowd's boos suddenly turned into cheers as the young McMahon stopped beating on Skinner to turn toward one of the corners. A dark-haired woman had leapt out of the crowd and climbed to the top turnbuckle. It was Rain. As soon as Shane faced her, she pounced out and onto him with a Windfall, flattening him and then dragging him from the ring.  
  
The remaining three men in the ring -- Nick Patrick, Booker T., and Matthew Skinner -- were all down and out on the mat. Booker was the first to recover. He pulled himself to his knees, glanced at The Storm, but then he looked at his hand again. His head convulsed, and then he got a wild look in his eyes. He dropped onto his back on the mat, spun around until he was on his head, and came out of the spin on one knee. Tazz was chortling over the execution of the spinaroonie as Booker stood up and moved toward Skinner again.  
  
All at once, Skinner tripped Booker onto his face, then moved with lightning speed. He twisted his arm back into a hammerlock, pressed it in with a knee, and locked his hands under Booker's jaw in the Necksnapper. The WCW Champion started screaming in pain again, as The Storm leaned back to wrench it in, howling, "_Let's hear the snap!!_" Nick Patrick came around just in time to see Booker T. start tapping the mat. Even with his biased officiating, he could not ignore that one. Wearily, weakly, he called for the bell.  
  
The fans started cheering loudly as the music of Cold Steel played. The Storm released Booker to allow Patrick to raise his hand in victory, while Tony Chimel announced, _"Here is your winner, and the NEW WCW Champion... "The Storm" MATTHEW SKINNER!" _Rain had collected the title belt from ringside and brought it into the ring. Skinner looked intently at the belt as she handed it to him. Finally, his face broke out into a grin as he raised it triumphantly in the air.  
  
The two Texans cleared out of the ring as Shane dragged Booker out as well. The Storm put his new title on his shoulder, smirking as the Owner of WCW glared up the ramp at him.  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: Matthew Skinner is now the WCW Champion. Rose and CIW have their own plans for the Alliance as The Storm is beseiged by WECW to try and take its title back.  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
February 15, 2002 


	7. Carrying a Torch

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Monday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: CIW has arrived in the WWF. Feuds are struck up as the WWF/CIW Coalition takes on the WCW/ECW Alliance.  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission.  
  
Previously: The Storm arrived at the arena in a foul mood and chewed out the Z-Men when he discovered they had also rejoined CIW. Rose chortled over the prospects for CIW in their matches, then approached The Storm to ask him to come back to CIW. The Storm emphatically rejected the idea. **Kurt Angle & Victor E. def. Triple H & Rhyno **with the Angle Slam and Victory Slam (pumphandle into a fireman's carry into a flapjack). Paul Heyman then approached The Storm and offered him a place in the Alliance. The Storm replied to that by reminding Heyman that when he left CIW, he was immediately rejected by WCW, and ECW didn't want him because he was one of those "backyard wrestler" types from the California circuits. He then told Heyman to go to hell, and beat him up a bit before heading to the ring for his match. In the main event, **The Storm def. Booker T** to become the new WCW Champion, after interference from Shane McMahon and Rain & Brick.

**Chapter 7: Carrying a Torch  
  
Raw: January 13  
**  
A black stretch limo pulled into the arena, bearing the _wCw_logo on a vanity plate. Four unhappy people stepped out of it. One was Triple H, one was his wife Stephanie, one was his brother-in-law Shane, and one was a bruise-sporting Paul E. Heyman. They were all quite upset at the Alliance's record from _Smackdown_. The Hurricane had lost to Nate Starr when the CIWer hit his Super Starr Press finisher again. Triple H and Rhyno had lost to Kurt Angle and Victor E. And worst of all, they had lost the WCW title to Matthew Skinner.  
  
Heyman rubbed at his bruised head, then winced. This earned a dry chuckle from the other side of the garage. They all turned to see Billy Rose and three other men leaning against the Californian's limo. One of the men had dark red hair and a pointed goatee. He was smoking a cigarette. A smaller man in a neat tailored suit with a white-on-white tie was just running the fingers of one hand against the fingers of the other, smiling a gap-toothed grin. The remaining man was taller than all three of the others, sporting a black mop of hair on the top of his otherwise shaved head. He just watched with a blank expression.  
  
"Nice shiner there, Paulie," Rose remarked. "What happened? Did Beulah slap you when you asked for free sex again?"  
  
"Shut up!" Heyman snapped.  
  
"Just thought I'd let you know," Rose said, "that Commissioner Regal has left Smoker, Tony Smiles, and his pal, Joey, here open for booking. Smoker wants a singles match against someone from the Alliance, and Tony and Joey would like a tag match."  
  
"Why should we accomodate?" Shane demanded. "For your information, many of our people are going to be busy tonight with other concerns."  
  
Rose shrugged. "Your perogative. But I'd be wary about going after Matthew Skinner." The Alliance ringleaders stopped and turned to him. The CIW leader smiled. "Did I neglect to mention? Skinner may not be a member of CIW, but his roots do lie there, and we protect our kin. So if you try to cause trouble, be prepared to face dire consequences."  
  
"You could say," Smoker spoke up in his prematurely aged voice, "that we're still carrying a torch for him." He grinned as he turned his lighter over in his hands. He produced a pack of Marlboros from his pocket and stuck a cigarette in his mouth, which he then lit with the Zippo in his hand.  
  
* * *  
  
At the top of the show, the smoke from the pyros started to disperse throughout the arena as the theme for _Raw _faded out, replaced by, _"Here comes the Money! (Here we go. Money talks!) Here comes the Money... money money money..." _The fans' cheering quickly turned to boos as Shane McMahon came out, accompanied by Booker T. The former heir to the WWF entered the ring along with the former WCW Champion, frowns on their faces. Shane took a microphone and said, "Who in the hell does Matthew Skinner think he is?!" More boos for that. "Last Thursday night was a sad day for the wrestling industry, because a man like Booker T., a champion amongst champions, a five-time -- count `em, one, two, three, four, _five-time _WCW Champion -- was _robbed, _that's right I said _robbed, _of his title by the man who calls himself The Storm!"  
  
The two men in the ring scowled as the fans started to chant, _"Skinner! Skinner! Skinner!" _Shane went on. "It makes me sick to think that the WCW Championship of the World is now around the waist of a psychotic, unbalanced, highly dangerous man like Matthew Skinner. That is why, tonight, in this very ring, live here on _Raw_, I am hereby ordering The Storm to give Booker T. his contractually obliged rematch for the WCW title, and we will once again have a champion to be proud of!!"  
  
The fans booed heavily as Booker T. stared at his right hand, head convulsing. Those jeers turned to cheers then as the music of Cold Steel started up. Pyros exploded as "Force of Nature" played. Striding out of the smoke came The Storm, wearing his _I am a Force of Nature _T-Shirt and his new title belt around his waist. He carried a microphone of his own. He turned his head and basked in the _"Skinner!" _chant before saying, "Cut the music!" He stared at the two men in the ring, then said, "A champion to be proud of? Forgive me, Shane, but Booker T. is not someone to be proud of -- he's an embarassment!"  
  
He paced a bit on the stage. "Let's just look at how he lost this fine gold belt I now have in my possession. You, Shane, had just clobbered me with a steel chair -- directly in front of the referee, too. If the ref hadn't been Nick Patrick, I'd be surprised you got away with it, but then, ol' Nick does have vision problems worse than Mr. Magoo. So I'm seein' stars on the mat, all Booker has to do is cover me for the pin. But instead, this sucka in the ring with you sees something fascinating on his hand." Skinner raised his free hand and imitated Booker's gimmick, convulsing his head. "Now I don't know what his hand said, but apparently it tells him to do that idiotic dance instead of retaining his title. So I took it upon myself to take Booker down a peg or three and lock him in the Necksnapper and make him tap out like the sucka he is."  
  
Booker T. looked furious and started quivering with fury as he squeezed the top rope. The Storm paused and removed the belt from around his waist and held it in one hand, looking at it as he spoke again, "See, Shane, this title used to be a sacred object in our industry. This, the WCW Title, also holds the legacy of the men who held the NWA title. I say used to be, because more recently, this belt's proud heritage was tarnished. It used to be when I thought about this title, I remembered the great wrestlers who held it. Men like Lou Thesz. Men like Ricky Steamboat, Terry Funk, Harley Race, and the best champion to ever hold this belt, The Man, _woooo__!_, Ric _by God _Flair!" The fans cheered loudly at the mention of Flair's name and gave a _woooo__! _of their own.  
  
Skinner then looked up at Shane. "But now when I look at this belt, I think of the guys who have cheapened it. Guys like Dim-watt Dull-ass Page. Guys who don't even wrestle! You have one of the men from the corporate office, and worse yet, David Arquette." The fans booed as he shook his head. "You also have Mister T somewhere in there," he said negligently, waving a hand toward Booker.  
  
Booker grabbed Shane's mike. "Mister T?!" He scowled. "You didn't say that." He turned to Shane. "Tell me he did not just say that!"  
  
The Storm smirked. "Oh, that's right, you're not Mister T, `cuz he still wears ten pounds of gold." His expression sobered. "You see, Shane, now the belt belongs on someone who actually deserves it. Someone who has spent eight years of his life giving his blood, his sweat, his _life _in front of rabid, bloodthirsty fans, wrestling in California, in Japan, and finally right here in the World Wrestling Federation! I can think of no one better to give this title meaning again than someone who was more than qualified to join the WCW, but was _rejected _by the powers that be. Now I have _proved _that I could have passed muster with the old WCW, by claiming its championship."  
  
"Give me one good reason not to strip you of that title right now!!" Shane demanded.  
  
"You do, and I'll come down to that ring and tear you apart," the Force of Nature said blandly. The tone of his voice suggested that it would be no difficult task for him to do so, and the owner of WCW knew that The Storm was quite capable of doing so.  
  
"Why don't you step in this ring and say that, sucka?!" Booker T. demanded.  
  
Matthew Skinner looked at him, then calmly strode down the ramp and toward the ring. WCW's owner and ex-champion both advanced to the ropes, but the new WCW Champion did not immediately roll into the ring. Instead, he walked past it and toward the timekeeper's table. He pushed aside Lillian Garcia and reached behind the table, coming up with the ugly-stick. The fans cheered as he turned and started up the stairs toward the ring. Booker and Shane both backed up and circled to Skinner's sides as he dropped the belt in the corner.  
  
Booker spread his feet into a ready stance, gauging his opponent, then lunged... toward the belt. The Storm quickly turned and clobbered him with the ugly-stick, leaving him open for a double axe-handle to the back from Shane. Skinner turned around, unfazed and swung the stick at Shane. The young McMahon backed out of the ring rapidly, edging toward the title belt in the corner, but he was cut off when Skinner scooped it up and put it on his shoulder.  
  
"Force of Nature" played as Booker rolled out of the ring and retreated with Shane, glaring back at the man who had taken their title from them.  
  
* * *  
  
"I can't believe that son of a bitch has our championship!" Shane griped back in the Alliance VIP Room. "How could this have happened?"  
  
"It doesn't matter how it happened," Triple H said. "What matters is how we get it back."  
  
"Yeah!" Booker T. said. "I'll get that sucka tonight! Get him in the ring, WHAM! Give him the scissor kick, the spinaroonie, and 1, 2, 3! Get my title BACK!"  
  
"Right, because while Skinner may hold the title, he has now way of standing up to a one, two, three, four, _five-time _WCW Champion!"  
  
"Gonna make it six-time tonight!" Booker retorted. He grinned. "Can you dig that?"  
  
"I can dig it," the Game said mildly. He turned to Diamond Dallas Page, who was in the room with them. "You've got that guy Smoker later tonight. Can you handle him?"  
  
"Please," DDP replied, "I fearlessly stalked the Undertaker's wife, and you ask if I can handle some chain-smoker? I'm the Master of the Diamond Cutter. He'll never see it coming."  
  
Triple H nodded, then looked to the other two men in the room with them. "Lance, Mike, you two have those other two CIW guys -- Tony and his pal, Joey. I want you to kick their asses. And I mean in a bad way."  
  
"Not a problem," Lance Storm replied, "these CIW people seem to think this is all a big joke, well they'll be sorely mistaken when they have to contend with myself and Mike Awesome."  
  
"Good," Shane said. "See that you win."  
  
* * *  
  
Not long after, moderately-harsh music played as two Alliance members walked to the ring. Lance Storm wore black tights with silver trim on the legs, while Mike Awesome wore black trunks with a red _Awesome_ emblazoned across the black. "The following tag-team contest is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first, from the Alliance, at a combined weight of 520 pounds... MIKE AWESOME and LANCE STORM!"  
  
The two members of what was once called Team Canada hit the ring, and Lance took a microphone. He stood in the middle of the ring, raised the mike, and pointed out at the crowd. "I'd like to be serious for a minute," he said sternly. The fans jeered at him. "It's come to my attention that the people who work for CIW think of the Alliance as a big joke. Well nothing could be further from the truth. The fact of the matter is the Alliance is far superior to CIW, and although they may win the few odd matches here and there, the Alliance will win the war, and end this ridiculous counter-invasion."  
  
He looked ready to continue, but the TitanTron lit up with the music of Offspring and a spinning CIW logo. _"We... are... ALIVE!" _and then switched over and started playing what the fans soon realized was a sort of rock version of the theme to _The Godfather._ Two men stepped out onto the stage. One wore a gray sleeveless shirt and loose wrestling pants, black with red lines up the legs. The other wore dark leather pants and a dark tanktop. "And their opponents, from CIW, at a combined weight of 515 pounds... TONY SMILES and PAL JOEY!"  
  
Tony, the smaller of the two, smiled his gap-toothed smile and spoke into a microphone. "Hey, Lancey boy," he said with a slight mafioso accent, "I don't think of the Alliance as a joke. Me and my pal, Joey, we'd _never_ think of the Alliance as something to laugh at." Lance and Awesome nodded appreciatively until Tony Smiles continued, "As something to be ashamed about, yes, but never something to laugh at." Joey grinned and nodded before the two of them strode to the ring.  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, the majority of the CIW wrestlers had congregated in their locker room, while a few of them -- Nate Starr, Dee Meaner, and Smoker -- had joined the Z-Men in their commandeered restroom. A monitor was set up and they had lugged some chairs into the room to watch as Gap-Tooth Tony and Joey fought the two Alliance members. In the end, Mike Awesome managed to isolate Tony as Lance distracted Joey, allowing Awesome to hit the Awesome Bomb to Tony for the win. After the match, though, Pal Joey grabbed Lance and hit him with a Baldo Bomb variant, which according to J.R. (who had notes given to him by Billy Rose) was called the Cleaver. Then Joey punked out Mike, enabling Tony to get back up, stomp his foot, then deliver an HBK-like superkick to the towering Awesome. After hitting the move, Tony pumped a fist in the air, yelling, "Yes Indeed!" which incidentally was what he called the superkick.  
  
Smoker grinned. "Glad they kicked ass, and glad they lost," he said. "I never really liked Tony and his pal, Joey, all that much, but being as we're all on the same side, I didn't wanna say anything."  
  
"You got DDP later," Zeta said. "Ready to kick his fucking ass?"  
  
"You know it, Zait," Smoker replied. He extinguished the smoldering cigarette in his hand. "You think Matthew's gonna need any help tonight in his rematch?"  
  
"Probably," Zed replied. "Knowin' the Mac Sibs, they'll play dirty. But Storm'll kick our asses if we try to help him."  
  
Smoker stood. "Gotta go. Talk to ya'll later."  
  
* * *  
  
_"BANG!! Yo, it's me, it's me, it's D.D.P." _Rock music played over green-tinted videos of the self-proclaimed King of Badda-Bing as he walked out onto the stage. "The following contest is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first, representing the Alliance, from the Jersey shore, weighing in at 235 pounds... DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE!" The fans booed heavily as DDP raised his hands in the air, forming a diamond shape with his thumbs and forefingers, then yelling sharply as he snapped his hands down, pyros exploding behind him. He walked down to the ring. He wore his airbrushed vest, which said _BANG MAN _on the back. He flashed the diamond sign again in the center of the ring, then snapped it down again in time with the _"BANG!!" _in his music.  
  
His music faded out and again Offspring played with the CIW logo spinning. _"We... are... ALIVE!" _The music switched to Billy Rose's music as the man himself walked out and over to the announce table. Heyman sneered as the Californian seated himself at the third headset. "Nice bruise, Paulie," Rose said.  
  
"Shut up," Paul E. growled.  
  
The Offspring snippet played again, and then switched to again, to a quiet guitar strumming, with the click of a lighter being opened. A flame slowly lit the screen. Smoker strode out onto the stage, calmly lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag. He pulled his cig from his mouth, lifted it in the air, then suddenly threw it down to the stage, flame pyros exploding around him, as voices screamed, _"Now you're playing with FI-I-IRE!" _The music roared up as Smoker snarled a vicious grin, smoke coming from his nostrils and his mouth. _"FI-I-IRE!" _"And his opponent, representing CIW, from Raleigh, North Carolina, weighing in at 253 pounds... SMOKER!"  
  
Smoker wore a red and black sleeveless shirt which had a fire-theme to it, as did his wrestling tights and boots. The outfit seemed to borrow some from Kane's outfit, but not entirely. Smoker wore his dark red hair back in a ponytail, and had fingerless gloves on his hands. He charged down the ramp and into the ring, where he quickly started trading punches with Page. Soon enough, Smoker managed to whip Page into the ropes and clobbered him with a stiff clothesline.  
  
"I have to say, Paulie," Rose remarked, "DDP doesn't stand a chance against Smoker. Smoker's one of the more vicious people on the CIW roster, and let's face it, he may have been smoking cigarettes since he was ten, but he's still quick and athletic. You have to be impressed by that."  
  
"I'll be impressed if DDP wins just to shut you up," Heyman snapped.  
  
The Carolinian was busy pummeling Page in the corner, then whipped him across the ring and followed up with a turnbuckle clothesline. He pulled him out and went for a whip off the ropes, but DDP reversed it and swung a clothesline, which Smoker ducked. On the rebound, DDP aimed a kick to the gut. Smoker caught it, shook his head, and spun Page around. The Jersey native, however, came out of the spin with a lariat and took him down.  
  
Now the momentum had shifted and Page started working over Smoker. He put his focus on Smoker's chest and stomach, trying to wind him. Heyman laughed. "It looks to me like Smoker's getting the wind knocked out of him. He's got diminished lung capacity, after all!"  
  
"You'd be surprised," Rose replied.  
  
DDP whipped Smoker into the ropes and looked for the Diamond Cutter, but Smoker grabbed his arms as he prepared to drop and twisted Page to the mat, locking on an armbar. He relented after a few moments, then whipped Page to the ropes, kicked him in the gut, and prepared to deliver a powerbomb. DDP blocked the gutwrench, however, and turned it into a back body drop. This began another stretch with the ex-Jersey Triad member in control.  
  
Once again, DDP went for the Diamond Cutter, but Smoker blocked it again, turning Page around and kicking him in the gut. He clubbed Page in the back a few times, then grabbed his head and ran at the corner. He jumped and pushed off the turnbuckle, flipped up over DDP's head, turned over in mid-air, and came down in a harsh neckbreaker. "And that's the Burn Out!" Rose shouted at commentary. "Cigarette smoker or no, that's a very athletic move, and you have to admit that's impressive, Paulie."  
  
Heyman was roaring, "What's wrong with the referee! He was using the ropes for leverage!"  
  
"What's wrong with that?" Rose said smugly. "Your wreslters do it all the time. What do you call that move Kanyon does from the top rope?"  
  
"Legal!" Heyman said. "It was our referees who officiated those matches! They didn't see anything wrong with it!"  
  
"And neither did the WWF referee," Rose pointed out. "So shut your cakehole, Paulie."  
  
Smoker sat up with a grin as DDP lay senseless on the mat, then got up and pulled DDP to his feet. He put his head between his knees, then looked out at the crowd. He held up one hand and mimed flicking a lighter. Then he made a fist and jammed it downward. He stooped, executed the gutwrench, then pivoted around and slammed DDP to the mat with a falling powerbomb. "Powerbomb!" J.R. called.  
  
"The House Burner!" Rose corrected. "That, my friends, is the House Burner powerbomb!" He grinned at Heyman as Smoker calmly rolled over into a cover, hooking a leg. 1... 2... 3! Smoker's music began playing again as the Carolinain stood up, withdrawing a pack of cigarettes and his lighter from his pocket. He put a cig in his mouth, then calmly lit up and took a long drag. The cigarette dangled from his lips as his hand was raised in victory, then left the ring up the ramp.  
  
"Well, Paulie," Rose said as he stood up, "it was nice seeing your guys get their asses kicked again. We should do this again sometime." He laughed and removed his headset, leaving up the ramp after Smoker.  
  
* * *  
  
Matthew Skinner was pacing at the guerrilla position, wearing his _GeT__ SeT To GeT WReCKeD _T-Shirt and holding his WCW title belt in his hand when he walked up to him. The Storm's mouth tightened into a bit of a frown as he looked at Vince McMahon. The billionaire held up his hands. "Easy, Skinner, I come in peace."  
  
"What do you want, Vince?"  
  
"I just want you to know that I'm behind you one hundred percent," Vince replied. "Your holding the WCW title is a major victory for us, and we need to hold onto it as long as we can."  
  
"Don't worry, Vince," The Storm said, "I don't intend to lose it."  
  
"I know," McMahon said. "I'll make sure that my son Shane doesn't get involved, and also that nobody else interferes either."  
  
"I don't need your help, Vince," Skinner said bluntly. "But thanks for the offer."  
  
* * *  
  
During The Storm's match, he had things well in control, in spite of Shane McMahon's liberal interference. Finally, about half-way through the match, Brick came charging down the ramp, making a beeline for the WCW Owner, chasing him out through the crowd. This caused Booker T. to get distracted from his stomping of The Storm, turning to shout after the retreating forms of Brick and Shane.  
  
Skinner rolled to his feet and came up behind Booker, hooking his arms from behind in a full nelson, pulling him back from the ropes, then dropping him in the Downdraft. He went for the cover, but suddenly someone else pulled him from the ring. It was Triple H, who walloped him with a right hand. The Game set to work stomping on him, but then someone else pulled him away from The Storm. It was Kurt Angle. The Olympian brawled with Helmsley, fighting him up the ramp as the referee called for the bell, awarding the disqualification to The Storm.  
  
The Storm got up and quickly evaded an attempted chair attack from Booker T., pummeling in retaliation and swiping the chair from him. He cracked the former five-time WCW Champion in the spine with the chair, causing him to quickly backpedal up the ramp as a swarm of referees came down to separate the two. The Storm rolled back into the ring, where he reclaimed his belt and held it aloft. "This belt belongs to me, ya moron!" he shouted at Booker. "Me! It's mine!"  
  
On the top of the ramp, Angle had snared Triple H in the Angle Lock submission, yelling and wrenching it in as referees tried to pull him off of the WWF Champion. More referees were holding back Booker T., who was trying to rush the ring to attack the man who had taken his championship. The Storm beckoned him on, laying the WCW belt on the mat, pointing at it, then at himself. He raised his arm in the air, drawing huge cheers as the show went off the air.  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: The stage starts to get set for the Royal Rumble as a couple of big-name feuds escalate, and CIW continues to carve its way through the Alliance.  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
February 25, 2002


	8. Double Trouble

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Thursday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: The stage starts to get set for the Royal Rumble as a couple of big-name feuds escalate, and CIW continues to carve its way through the Alliance.  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: As the Alliance leaders arrived at the arena, they were immediately confronted with Billy Rose and a few of his cohorts. Rose challenged Shane to book a match for Smoker, and a match for Tony Smiles and his pal, Joey, which Shane agreed to. Rose then warned Shane to be wary of going after The Storm. Shane and Booker T then went to the ring to address the crowd, and Matthew Skinner came out for the rebuttal, calling Booker T an embarrassment to the legacy of the WCW title, citing the names of past great champions (such as Thesz, Steamboat, and Flair). When Booker challenged Skinner to back up his words, The Storm chased them off. **Lance Storm & Mike Awesome def. Tony Smiles & Pal Joey**, but got a Yes Indeed Superkick and Cleaver (double-choke cutter) for their trouble. Rose came out to do commentary as **Smoker def. DDP **with a "Burn Out" (a tornado bulldog into a flipping neckbreaker) and a "House Burner" (spiral powerbomb). Vince McMahon offered support to The Storm prior to his match, but The Storm denied the request. **The Storm v. Booker T ends in a "no contest"** after both Kurt Angle and Triple H get involved. The Storm laid out Booker and bellowed that "This title belongs to me! It's mine!"

**Chapter 8: Double Trouble  
  
Smackdown: January 16  
**  
Vince McMahon sat in his VIP room, looking over a series of papers. The door opened to admit Billy Rose and Jenny Black. The billionaire stood up. "Billy, Jenny, glad you could make it."  
  
"My pleasure, Vince," Rose said with his trademark smirk. He nodded at the sheet in Vince's hand. "What've the Siblings Mac and Horrible Heyman asked for tonight?"  
  
"Well, they want to book a main event match, a tag team match between Matthew Skinner and Kurt Angle against Triple H and Booker T."  
  
"That's not a problem, I hope?" Rose asked, seating himself on the couch. Jenny sat down next to him, producing a paper of her own and reviewing it.  
  
"Of course not," Vince said. "They also want to book a Light-Heavyweight title match between X-Pac and The Hurricane."  
  
Rose nodded. "I say we agree, provided they'll grant someone from our side a Crusierweight title match on _Raw_."  
  
Vince nodded. "Who do you have in mind?"  
  
Rose shrugged. "Either Nate Starr or Tony Smiles if you want someone from CIW. Either Scotty 2 Hotty or Crash Holly if you want WWF."  
  
McMahon agreed, then glanced at Jenny. "What's that?" he asked, inquiring of the paper she held.  
  
She handed it over. "A request to be sent to the Alliance for a match between the Gemini Twins and a tag team from their side. Preferably the Dudleys or Palumbo & O'Haire."  
  
"It'll have to be the Dudleys, since the other two are in a match with Viper's gang. Is that all for tonight?"  
  
Rose nodded. "Expect to see me go out to commentate for some of CIW's matches. I think we should also start compiling a list of who our Coalition is going to contribute to the Rumble."  
  
Vince nodded. "It would seem so."  
  
* * *  
  
Matthew Skinner arrived at the arena in his rental car, getting out of the car along with Rain. He shouldered his bag and glanced back as two more people stepped out of the car. One was Scion, whose head and face were hidden as usual under his hood. Then the car eased off its axles as Brick got out. Skinner looked back at them, then headed down the hall toward his dressing room.  
  
En route, the four of them ran into the so-called 'Team ECK.' Kurt Angle was wearing his _Your True American Hero - The Truth Hurts _T-Shirt, while Edge & Christian each wore one of their red 'silhouette' T-Shirts. Angle approached Skinner. "Hey, we've got a tag match against Hunter and Booker."  
  
"Game Boy and Mista Sucka, no problem," Skinner said. "Here's a suggestion, when we get the chance, we put a combine submission on one of their asses."  
  
"Combine submission?"  
  
He nodded. "You do your Angle Lock thing, and I'll put `em in the Necksnapper."  
  
Angle grinned. "Good idea. See you in the ring later."  
  
The four continued to their locker room. Once there, Brick removed his jacket and revealed that he was wearing a _CIW - Innovators of Extreme since 1990 _T-Shirt.The Storm blinked, then stood up and pointed at it. "What the fuck is this?"  
  
Scion and Brick both looked at the shirt. "It's a shirt," Brick said simply.  
  
"It's a fucking CIW shirt, Brick!" The Storm snapped. "Why the hell would you wear that?"  
  
Scion turned back, shadows still covering his face from his hood. "I would think the answer is obvious. Brick's rejoined CIW."  
  
Both The Storm and Rain gawked. "You _went back _to Billy Fuckin' Rose?! What the fuck's wrong with you?!"  
  
"Returning to my roots, Storm," Brick replied.  
  
"Do I even need to remind you about the shit Rose put you through?" Skinner demanded. "Treating you like a fucking animal, like some kinda slave? Screaming his head off at you when you screwed up? Do you remember _Summerslam_, Brick? Do you remember what he said to you then?"  
  
"It was part of the system, Storm, that's all."  
  
All at once, Skinner grabbed a folding chair and threw it into the lockers with a great crash. "Brick! For once in your life, think smart! Rose didn't know it was part of the system. When he was saying that shit to you, he meant it! You don't mean shit to him! As far as Rose is concerned, you're just another piece of meat to throw at the Alliance. You don't matter to him!"  
  
He seethed for a minute, then swore again, "I mean, Jeezus Christ! -- sorry, Scion," he said quickly to the hooded wrestler, who bowed his head and folded his hands, "use your brain! I don't mean to knock you or anything, Brick, but if you don't start thinking past the Invasion, you could be out of a job when this is all said and done, whether the WWF wins or not."  
  
Rain spoke up at last, "Guys, look, we all know where Matthew stands on this whole CIW thing, and let's just leave it at that." She turned to The Storm before he could snap at her, "I _know _you don't trust Rose's motives. I also know you aren't going to rejoin CIW." She turned to Brick and Scion. "If you guys could just spread the word to the others from CIW that he remembers where his roots lie, but that he's not going to come back, we'll all breathe easier."  
  
Scion nodded again. "I shall inform everyone else." He then glanced at the TV monitor set up in the corner. "I believe the Twins have a match next."  
  
Skinner popped his neck a bit, then sighed. "All right. Let's see how Cas and Pol have done since I left."  
  
* * *  
  
Harsh, stern-sounding music played over the speakers as the team once called the Impact Players stepped out on the stage. Justin Credible wore his black tights with his name in silver letters down the legs. Lance Storm wore black tights as well with silver patterns on the thighs. "The following tag-team contest is scheduled for one fall. Making their way to the ring, from the Alliance, weighing in at a combined weight of 465 pounds... the team of LANCE STORM and JUSTIN CREDIBLE!" The two paused on the ramp, where they struck their original pose: Lance planting his feet and leaning slightly to one side, flexing his muscles a bit, while Justin raised his fists in the air.  
  
As they hit the ring, the snippet from "Defy You" by the Offspring played. _"We... are... ALIVE!" _This segued into a hard rock instrumental piece, with images and clips of two identical men bashing the living hell out of people on the screen. The Twins emerged on the stage. Each was about six-foot-six and built like Test. They had highlighted brown hair and vicious green eyes. They wore matching tights, with coordinating colors. The one on the left coming down the ramp had black on one side and red on the other. The other one had the colors switched, but had tattoos on his upper arms. They also wore tape on their wrists and hands, not unlike Albert. Walking along behind them was none other than Billy Rose, who wore the CIW T-Shirt and raised his hands in the CIW hand-sign. "And their opponents, representing CIW and being accompanied by the owner of CIW, Billy Rose... from Seattle, Washington, weighing in at a combined weight of 540 pounds... Castor... Pollux... THE GEMINI TWINS!"  
  
The Twins ran into the ring and posed on the ropes, raising their arms and pumping them to juice themselves up. Rose walked over to commentary and seated himself at the third headset. Heyman had an unpleasant look on his face. "Hello, Paulie. Ready to see the Alliance get its ass kicked again?"  
  
"CIW is no longer undefeated, Billy," Heyman pointed out. "Lance Storm and Mike Awesome defeated your boys, Tony and Joey."  
  
"What happened to Tony Smiles and his pal, Joey, was a fluke," Rose waved it off. "Like the shirt says, Paulie, CIW has been extreme before you happened to make it famous. We're just getting to showcase why we're the innovators of it."  
  
"Glad to have you with us again, Billy," Michael Cole said. "Just to enlighten us, mind telling us who you have for us tonight?"  
  
"These are Castor and Pollux Geminus, the Gemini Twins. One of the best tag-teams from CIW," the Californian said. "Just for reference, Pollux is the one with the tattoos. Castor's the one with the educated feet."  
  
Lance and Justin had slid back into the ring as the Twins faced them. Castor slapped Pollux's arm and held out a hand, holding his fist on top of it. Pollux nodded and did the same. They did roshambo as the Impact Players moved in a bit. Both of the CIWers came up with rock. They looked at each other, did it again, and again came up with rock. They looked at each other again, shrugged, then turned and each slugged an ECWer. Pollux worked on Lance as Castor hurled Justin through the ropes to the outside.  
  
The tattooed twin hurled the Canadian into the ropes and took him down with a stiff clothesline. He dropped an elbow on his sternum, then hooked a leg for a two-count. Pol frowned and slugged Lance in the head, then hurled him into the Twins' corner for a turnbuckle clothesline. He tagged in Castor and together they set to work stomping and pounding on Storm before Cas took over. He whipped him into the ropes and caught him in the midsection with a knee. Lance flipped over from the blow, only to get stomped in the head as he tried to sit up.  
  
"Yo, Cas!" Pollux shouted from the corner. "Slash his ass!" Castor nodded, then whipped Lance into the ropes, apparenly looking for a variant of a heel kick. The Canadian, however, grabbed the ropes and prevented the rebound, then quickly tagged in Justin. Credible stepped into the ring and scored a front dropkick before Castor could retaliate. He started pummeling on him, then looked for a snap suplex, but the CIWer wasn't cooperating, blocking the suplex. Then Castor reversed it into a suplex of his own.  
  
With a growl, the Twin pulled Justin to his feet and whipped him into the ropes, then jumped in the air, twisting his body parallel to the mat, snapping his calf into the ECWer's face. "And that's the Slash Kick!" Rose called at ringside. "One of the trademark's of Castor's educated feet!" Nodding with a sneer on his face, Castor tagged in Pollux. The Gemini pulled Credible to his feet and shot him into the ropes, then caught him with a double clothesline. The tattooed Twin then set to work stomping and pummeling Justin.  
  
Finally, Pol powerslammed him and went for a pin. Lance quickly dropped an elbow on him to break up the pin. Lance returned to the ring apron and glanced at the booing crowd, then turned back to get knocked to the floor by Pollux's forearm. Turning back around, Pol was taken down by a superkick by Credible, who quickly went for the pin. This time Castor broke it up with a stomp to the head.  
  
Lance got back in the ring and attacked, but now the Twins were ready again. Pollux creamed him with a hard clothesline, as Castor took Justin down with another Slash Kick. Looking at their downed opponents, Pollux pointed at Lance and then slapped his fist into his palm. Castor nodded. They stood the Canadian up, whipped him into the ropes. Pollux caught him by the leg, hoisted him up, swung around and brought him down toward the mat in a powerbomb. Castor joined in and added his own momentum and power to the maneuver. "The Twin Terror Bomb!" Rose crowed. "They've won more than half their matches with that move! Learn it well, Paulie-boy, because you'll be seeing more of it."  
  
"Oh, shut up!" Heyman grumbled.  
  
Rolling the semiconscious Storm out of the ring, now the Gemini turned to Justin. Castor pointed at him, then at the ropes. Pollux nodded. The two slapped a pair of high-fives, swung their arms down, then thumped forearms together. Pollux stood Credible on his feet, then slugged him in the gut. He then grabbed his head and pushed it down until he was fully doubled over, then held him there, looking to Castor. The other Twin came off the ropes with a full-on scissor kick, locking his legs around Justin's head before landing on the mat. Justin fell down face-first.  
  
"That's the G-Force Combo!" Rose declared. "And _that_, by the way, Paulie, is a Scissor Kick. Not that so-called Scissor Kick that sucka does."  
  
Pollux rolled Justin onto his back as Castor slid out of the ring to stomp Lance back to the floor. The referee dutifully counted the fall. 1... 2... 3. The tattooed man stood up and shouted in triumph, raising his arms in the air, flashing the CIW hand-sign. Castor rolled back in the ring and raised his arms as well, and then the two brothers slapped each other's shoulders, flashing a thumbs-up. They slid out of the ring and back up the ramp as Rose slipped a few more insults at Heyman before leaving with them.  
  
* * *  
  
Matthew Skinner was pacing in the hall in the WWF/CIW area, swinging his arms and stretching his neck, generally getting warmed up for his match later. As always, he wore his black jeans and boots, black wrist tape and black fingerless gloves. For a shirt, he was wearing his _Seek Shelter - The Storm Has ARRIVED! _T-Shirt. His WCW title belt was set on top of an equipment crate, along with his ugly-stick. As he warmed up, one of the CIWers walked up. It was Victor E., ostensibly the "leader" of the CIW faction of the WWF/CIW Combined Forces.  
  
"`Sup, Skin?" Victor asked. The Storm looked up, smiled a bit and tapped fists with him.  
  
"Hey, Vic," he returned. "How you doing?"  
  
"Not bad," Victor replied. "Just got done talking to Rose. Apparently he's talked Regal into wrangling a U.S. Title match out of Kanyon for me. Oughta be nice."  
  
"Good luck," Skinner said.  
  
"Same to you tonight. I hear you got Trips and Book."  
  
"In a nutshell," The Storm said. "Kurt and I won't have any problems."  
  
"Right," came a sardonic voice from down the hall. The two looked over to see Raven lurking behind a stack of crates. The enigmatic wrestler stepped out into view. "Your Combine has all sorts of problems."  
  
"Hey, Raven," Victor grinned, "how's Rhyno's knee?"  
  
"Ask him yourself," Raven replied. The last CIW Champion blinked, then whirled around just in time to see Rhyno charge from a connecting hallway. The Man-Beast plowed into him and drove him into the wall. Victor let out a loud groan and doubled over with pain as Rhyno stood up and backed away with a leer. The Storm blinked in shock, then prepared to lunge for his sometime friend's avenging, but Raven attacked him with a steel chair to the back.  
  
As he staggered from the blow, Skinner was quickly Gored by Rhyno. The two ECWers took turns stomping him and Victor, before a voice called, "A'ight, get his ass up!" A bit dazed, The Storm was stood up on his feet, just enough to see Booker T. standing front of him. Rhyno and Raven muscled The Storm up on top of a shipping pallet, while the former WCW champion stalked up and hooked an arm under his jaw, then drove the Force of Nature down into the shipping pallet in a Book End. The Storm shouted in pain, arching his back and clutching it as referees finally showed up and separated the Combine wrestlers and the Alliance wrestlers.  
  
"Yeah! Got his ass!" Booker shouted, as Shane McMahon whooped and ran up, grinning and guiding his wrestler away and toward the ring.  
  
"Looks like you won't be wrestling tonight, Storm!" Shane shouted back.  
  
* * *  
  
Fortunately for Kurt Angle, he didn't have to fight Triple H and Booker T. by himself. Scion stepped in to replace The Storm, and together, the Olympian and the so-called "Act of God" fared pretty well against the Game and Booker T. However, every time they got close to scoring a win, either Shane or Stephanie -- who had accompanied their chosen wrestlers to ringside -- would distract the referee or somehow prevent the three-count from being scored.  
  
Finally, the fans popped as the gigantic form of the Big Show came lumbering down the ramp, making a beeline for Shane. Stephanie quickly hid as "the Money" took off running for the crowd. Shane did not get far, however, as Brick had come in through Shane's escape route and clocked him across the face with a big right hand. Heyman started protesting as Brick hauled Shane over the barricade and muscled him out through the crowd. Big Show left after them, following Brick.  
  
Stephanie was quite shaken by this occurence, and it showed as she didn't do nearly so much to distract the referee later in the match. Angle and Scion managed to rally back and score a few near falls, but Triple H and Booker continued to fight back and keep the WWF/CIW wrestlers on the defensive.  
  
Then the crowd popped as a swarm of referees appeared on the ramp, having to hold back a seriously pissed-off Matthew Skinner. He was walking a bit stiffly, evidently still feeling the effects of Rhyno's Gore and the Book End onto the shipping pallet. His glare was fixated on Booker T., who was currently in the ring. Booker stopped in his stomping of Scion to turn and look at him in shock. This distraction allowed Kurt Angle to run in the ring and deliver an Angle Slam to Booker. Triple H rushed in and decked him with a right hand, then kicked Scion to keep him from getting a pinfall.  
  
The Storm finally shoved his way through the referees and climbed up on the apron, only to be stopped by WCW official Charles Robinson, who was officiating this match. Skinner looked at him, then tried to push him away to get in the ring. Triple H came over to try and deck him as well, but then The Storm pulled his hand from behind his back, revealing he was carrying his ugly-stick. He clobbered Triple H with it, but fortunately it went undetected by Robinson, who had been distracted by Angle, who was climbing back in the ring.  
  
The Game staggered back into Scion, who turned him around, then hoisted him up and dropped him down in the Fall from Grace. Booker recovered from the Angle Slam and went for the Axe Kick, but Scion sidestepped it and gave him a Fall from Grace as well. Scion hooked a leg as Robinson went to count the three. Stephanie tried to intervene, but The Storm menaced her and chased her around the ring with his ugly-stick before being blocked by the swarm of referees who were still trying to get him under control.  
  
Scion got the pin and stood up as his music played, leaving the ring to try and get Skinner under control. Triple H and Booker both rolled out of the ring and retreated up the ramp as The Storm, Angle, and Scion stood in the ring. Skinner walked to the ropes and shouted at the retreating Booker T., pointing a finger at him, then at himself. "You and me, Booker, the Rumble! Get set to get wrecked, sucka!" He stepped back and raised his ugly-stick in the air.  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: The Storm guns for Booker T. as Billy Rose continues to get on the Alliance's bad side.  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
March 11, 2002


	9. It's All About the Rumble

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Thursday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: The stage starts to get set for the Royal Rumble as a couple of big-name feuds escalate, and CIW continues to carve its way through the Alliance.  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: Rose and Vince booked matches and discussed the Alliance. The Storm arrived with Brick and Scion, only to discover that Brick had rejoined CIW, prompting The Storm to start ranting at him. Rain finally gets them all to calm down. Rose did commentary as **The Gemini def. Lance Storm & Justin Credible** with a Twin Terror Bomb and the G-Force Combo. The Storm spoke with Victor E backstage, before they were both jumped by Raven and Rhyno, who Gored both men. Then Booker T showed up and delivered a Book End to The Storm on a shipping pallet. Scion took The Storm's place in his tag match. **Kurt Angle & Scion def. Triple H & Booker T **after The Storm returned and attacked the Alliance members to enable the win. During the match, Big Show and Brick chased off Shane McMahon from ringside. After the match, The Storm taunted Booker and told him he'd see him at the Rumble.  
  
**Chapter 9: It's All About the Rumble  
  
Raw: January 20  
**  
Victor E. was pacing around the garage area when Rose's limo pulled up. The former CIW Champion did not look happy. Neither did Rose when he got out of the limo with Jenny Black in tow. "What's the idea, making my match with Kanyon a tag match?" Victor demanded.  
  
"It wasn't my idea!" Rose snapped. "Shane and Heyman decided to revoke your U.S. Title match and booked this stupid tag-team match instead. And Regal OK'd it without clearing it with me."  
  
"Smoker's not too happy either," Victor reported. "He was looking forward to having the night off so he could hang out with the Z's and Dee."  
  
"Yeah, well, that's too bad for Smoker," Rose said. "Where's Skinner?"  
  
"He's holed up with Stone Cold and the APA right now. Lotsa luck to the Alliance to try and get in there."  
  
* * *  
  
As it happened, Shawn Stasiak and Tommy Dreamer were trying to do just that. They each had steel chairs as they approached the door with the Austin 3:16 skull on it. They peered in through the crack to see that The Storm and Bradshaw had their backs to the door. The two Alliance wrestlers prepared to shove open the door and attack, but a hand tapped them on the shoulder.  
  
Stasiak and Dreamer turned around to see the hooded form of Scion standing there. "That would be very unwise," he said simply in his grave voice.  
  
"What're you gonna do to stop us, huh?" Dreamer asked. He swung his chair toward Scion. The mysterious figure just fluidly dodged aside and snapped his palm into the ECW stalwart's forehead. He grunted and staggered back into the wall as Scion snatched the chair away and threw it aside. Scion blocked a retaliatory swing from Dreamer and leveled him with a right cross.  
  
Stasiak raised his chair back to bludgeon the hooded man, but his chair struck something hard behind him as he did so. He turned to see Brick, blinking a bit and rubbing his head where the chair had hit. Stasiak blinked and prepared to attack again, but Scion spoke again. "Oh, no, don't do that. If you hit him, you'll just make him mad."  
  
That turned out to be a moot point, as Brick just smashed his fist into the chair, and thus back into Stasiak's face. The man once known as Meat hit the ground hard, chair falling on top of him. Brick shook out his fingers a bit. There was a pause, then The Storm stuck his head out in the hall. He looked at Scion and Brick, then down at Dreamer and Stasiak. "Everything okay out here?"  
  
"All is well," Scion said, bowing his head.  
  
"Yeah, what he said," Brick added.  
  
Matthew Skinner nodded, then ducked back into the locker room. "False alarm," he told Austin and the APA as he sat back down.  
  
* * *  
  
Victor E. and Smoker were in the midst of a tag-team match against DDP and Kanyon later that night. Victor started out in the match, making quick work of Kanyon, then of Page before tagging in Smoker. The husky-voiced veteran started doing well against Kanyon when he was tagged in, but soon enough the Alliance members got the upper hand, wearing down Smoker and keeping him isolated, dissecting him, putting their focus on his ribs.  
  
"Kanyon is showing why he's the Alliance's MVP right here," Paul Heyman said at ringside. "He's putting all his attacks into Smoker's ribs, taking full advantage of the fact that his opponent is a habitual smoker. He's exploiting Smoker's diminished lung capacity."  
  
Kanyon went for the super Rocker Drop in the corner, but the North Carolinian managed to beale him out into the middle of the ring before falling to the mat himself. Victor started clapping his hands, trying to urge Smoker to make the tag, as Kanyon crawled toward his own corner. Smoker, however, was slow to get up, and as a result, DDP got tagged in and quickly started sizing his opponent up for a Diamond Cutter.  
  
Smoker pulled himself up in the neutral corner, then started to turn around. Page grabbed his head, but Smoker held onto the top rope, causing the stalker to hit the mat, then leapt toward his corner. He slapped hands with Victor, and the crowd gave a decent pop as the last CIW Champion barreled into the ring and kicked Page in the head for a quick DDT. Kanyon rushed the ring, and Victor quickly caught him for a tilt-a-whirl powerslam.  
  
The Californian stomped on Page a bit, then started to set him up for a superplex when Kanyon hit a Russian leg sweep on him. Smoker had recovered enough to deliver a Cactus clothesline to the so-called MVP, taking both himself and Kanyon out of the ring. In the ring, DDP started to stalk Victor for the Diamond Cutter again, but the CIWer shoved him into the ropes, then swiftly started to set the villainous Jersey Boy up for the Victory Slam. Once he hit the flapjack-like manuever, Victor did something else. He twisted DDP's leg in a deathlock-like hold, then stretched the leg back as he caught Page with an STF variant.  
  
Jim Ross, consulting his notes from Billy Rose, crowed, "And Victor's got DDP locked in the Jaws of Defeat! The pain must be excruciating!"  
  
"NO!" Heyman screamed. "NO! Come on, Page, get to the ropes! _Get to the ropes!!_"  
  
But DDP was too far away. Victor clamped the hold in tighter, and with a scream of pain, the Jersey Stalker tapped the mat. Referee Mike Sparks called for the bell as "Defy You" by the Offspring -- the CIW theme -- started playing. Victor left the hold in for a few more seconds, then released him. Sparks raised the CIWer's hand in the air, as Victor smiled and flashed a V-for-victory hand-sign, then the CIW hand-sign. He turned around to leave, but Rhyno had jumped out of the crowd and into the ring. As soon as the Californian faced him, Rhyno folded him in half with his finisher. "_GORE! GORE! GORE!_" Heyman exulted.  
  
Rhyno stood up and thumped his chest, screaming, "Who's da man?!" before rolling out of the ring and retreating up the ramp with Kanyon and Page as Smoker went to check on Victor E.  
  
* * *  
  
Michael Cole ran into Victor and Smoker backstage as they returned. "Victor, after what just happened in the ring, I wanted to ask what your feelings--"  
  
Victor snatched the mike from him suddenly, speaking in between the sharp breaths he was taking. "Rhyno -- thinks he's so -- big, does he? -- Well, we'll see -- how big he is -- after I kick his ass -- at the _Royal Rumble_."  
  
He handed the mike back to Cole, who started speaking again, "But Victor, will you be physically ready to face Rhyno? Twice in the past two weeks you've been Gored by him, and--"  
  
Cole was once again interrupted, as out of nowhere, Rhyno showed up again, Goring Victor to the floor as Raven broke a 2x4 across Smoker's back to keep him down. Cole started to run off, but Rhyno stopped him and took the mike, speaking in his distinctive gravelly voice. "You want me at the Rumble, Vic? I got no problem with that."  
  
Raven took the mike from him and added, "And in the meantime, I'd be careful not to get in the path of a charging Rhyno, Vic."  
  
* * *  
  
"The following six-man tag is scheduled for one fall." The sound of a bomb whistling through the air sounded before pyros exploded at the top of the stage. The Dudleys emerged, carrying a table between them, with Stacy Keibler lying down on top of it.  
"Introducing first, representing the Alliance and being accompanied by Stacy Keibler, at a combined weight of 515 pounds... Bubba Ray, D-Von... THE DUDLEY BOYZ!" Stacy's "litter" was set down at the bottom of the ramp, and she slid off the table and stepped up the stairs and into the ring, flashing her incredibly long legs as she did so. The Dudleys posed in the corners, flashing the 3-D sign before whipping off their glasses.  
  
_"Can you dig it, sucka?" _demanded a gruff voice from the TitanTron. Music played as Booker T. came out, wearing his black trunks with the white design. He shook his head a bit before raising his arms in the air, pyros exploding behind him. He got a faraway look in his eyes as he walked to the ring. "And their tag-team partner, representing the Alliance, weighing in at 250 pounds... BOOKER T!" Booker stepped into the ring and faced the ramp, crouching in wait.  
  
_"We... are... ALIVE!" _preceded the opening drums of "Song 2." The Z-Men emerged after a few moments alongside Dee Meaner, wearing their championship belts proudly. Zed wore a CIW T-Shirt over his usual sleeve-less shirt, while Zeta wore his CIW T-Shirt under his Z-Men jacket. Dee wore her usual attire, but she wore a headband with the CIW logo on it. "And their opponents, first, representing CIW and being accompanied by Dee Meaner, at a combined weight of 460 pounds... they are the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Champions... ZED & ZETA!"  
  
Zed, Zeta, and Dee halted at the bottom of the ramp, while Booker and the Dudleys taunted them from the inside. The Z-Men just shook their heads as they passed their belts to the stagehand. Zed removed his T-Shirt and tapped his fists together in readiness, while Zeta removed his jacket and adjusted his knit cap. Dee just bounced back and forth on her feet. "Come on, Z's, get in here and fight!" Bubba Ray shouted at them.  
  
But Zed and Zeta were not budging. Soon enough, the opening thunder roll of their partner hit, and the fans popped. Lightning crashed and the lights went out, as the voice whispered, _"This is your Storm Warning." _Cold Steel's music roared up as the theatrical smoke billowed and flashed from within. A form started to walk out through the smoke, but as it dissipated, it became clear it was not Matthew Skinner. It was Rain. She just grinned and pointed out at the ring.  
  
Booker blinked and turned around, just in time to see The Storm, who had entered through the crowd, barrel into the ring. Skinner took the WCWer down with a forearm smash, then gave D-Von a back elbow that sent him through the ropes to the outside. Zed grabbed Bubba's ankles and dragged him under the bottom rope as The Storm started pounding on Booker T. while the two tag teams brawled on the outside, Zeta fighting with D-Von and Zed with Bubba.  
  
The Storm shot Booker into the ropes, then hit him with a front dropkick that took him to the outside. Zeta and D-Von slid into the ring and picked up their brawl again, with the small Z-Man holding the upper hand in the early going. When Zeta went to whip D-Von into the corner, however, the Dudley Boy reversed it and hit him on the rebound with a reverse elbow. The two partners waited impatiently in their corners as D-Von started stomping on Zeta. Booker reversed a whip by Skinner and sent the Force of Nature into the steel stairs knees-first, causing The Storm to flip over them.  
  
As D-Von stood Zeta up, the Z-Man with the blue-streaked hair punched him in the jaw a couple of times, then went to kick him in the gut. D-Von caught the foot, smirking, but Zeta followed up with an enzuigiri, then lunged to tag in Zed, who nailed D-Von with a fist, then followed through and knocked Bubba off the apron. He turned to do the same to Booker T, but the five-time WCW Champion caught his head and dropped off the apron, snapping his jaw into the ropes. The hotshot sent Zed stumbling back into a strong reverse DDT from D-Von.  
  
Bubba had recovered and tagged in to drop an elbow on Zed's sternum. He stood up and did it a second time. He stood up a third time, mocked the CIW hand-sign, shouting, "Innovate this!" before dropping a double axe-handle on Zed's chest. He hooked a leg for a two-count. Standing back up, Bubba laid in a few stomps to Zed's ear as he got back to his feet. As the ex-boxer staggered, Bubba turned around and punched Skinner in the face. Referee Tim White stopped him from lunging in to retaliate, and the distraction allowed Bubba Ray to scoop slam Zed for D-Von's flying headbutt to the groin.  
  
D-Von slapped his hands to mimic a tag, kicking Zed in the face a few times before tagging in Bubba again. Bubba stomped him a few times, then prepared to give him a Bubba Bomb. Zed countered, turned around, then swiftly hooked the Dudley Boy and drove him to the mat in the Z-Slam. Both men were down for a few moments, but Zed managed to crawl over and tag in The Storm. The Force of Nature charged into the ring, knocking down Bubba, then D-Von as he got in the ring. He continued his momentum, grabbed Booker and hauled him over the top rope into the ring.  
  
As he got back to his feet, Matthew Skinner grabbed him by the hair and started punching him in the face. He stopped after a moment, then pointed upward. "Lightning!" he shouted. The fans cheered as he punched the former five-time WCW Champion in the stomach, then swept him up onto his shoulder in preparation for the Southern Lightning Driver. Booker, however, slid free and took The Storm down with a spinning heel kick. He went for a cover, but only got two.  
  
The Z-Men had stormed the ring as well, brawling with the Dudleys. Zeta dropkicked Bubba out of the ring, then prepared to help deliver the Z-D to D-Von. Zed hoisted D-Von up, Zeta prepared to spring off the ropes, but Bubba grabbed his ankles and dragged him out of the ring. He hurled him head-first into the steel stairs, even as his half-brother raked Zed's eyes. Free of the ex-boxer's grip, D-Von whipped him into the ropes and caught him by the legs, carrying him upward. Bubba slid back into the ring and was in position just in time to deliver the Dudley Death Drop.  
  
Tim White was checking on Zeta, and thus he didn't see the low-blow Booker gave The Storm as he tried to give Booker T the Downdraft. Groaning, Skinner turned around, just in time for the Dudleys to grab him for a 3-D of his own. Booker hooked a leg as the nefarious Dudleys called White back into the ring to count the pinfall. 1... 2... 3!  
  
"Booker T pinned The Storm!" Heyman crowed. "The former five-time WCW Champion now holds a pinfall victory over the current WCW Champion! Ha ha ha ha!"  
  
Meanwhile, the Dudleys pulled a table out from under the ring and set it up in the corner. They dragged the semi-conscious Zeta into the ring, with D-Von handing him to Bubba Ray as he rolled Zed on top of the table. Bubba hitched himself up so he sat on the top-rope, then sat Zeta on his shoulders as D-Von held Zed in place. The heavier Dudley Boy stood up and powerbombed Zeta through the table and thus into Zed. D-Von did his victory dance as Bubba stood in a daze.  
  
Booker T was standing over The Storm, taking trash, holding up five fingers in his face. "See that? Five-time, sucka, five-time WCW Champion!" He dropped to one knee, staring at his hand, then did the spinaroonie, standing as his music played triumphantly.  
  
"It's all on this Sunday at the Royal Rumble!" J.R. shouted.  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: Billy Rose gets a challenge of his own for the Rumble as The Storm gets more and more vicious closer to the PPV.  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
April 6, 2002


	10. Mean Streak

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Thursday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: Billy Rose gets a challenge of his own for the Rumble as The Storm gets more and more vicious closer to the PPV.  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: The Alliance foiled CIW's plans to gain some gold by making Victor E.'s scheduled U.S. Title match with Kanyon into a tag match with Smoker against Kanyon and DDP. Still trying to take out The Storm, Tommy Dreamer and Shawn Stasiak attempted to ambush him in the locker room area, but they were cut off by Scion and Brick, who were (an unaware) Matthew Skinner's bodyguards. **Victor E & Smoker def. DDP & Kanyon** after Victor hit DDP with a Victory Slam, then forced him to submit to a submission hold, the "Jaws of Defeat" (a deathlock STF). After the match ended, however, Rhyno emerged from the crowd and Gored Victor. Backstage, Victor challenged Rhyno to a match at _Royal Rumble_, which Rhyno accepted after Goring him again. In the main event, **Booker T & Dudleyz def.**** The Storm & The Z-Men **following a 3-D to The Storm. After the match, the Dudleys table-bombed Zeta through Zed and through the wood as Booker taunted The Storm with the spinaroonie.  
  
**Chapter 10: Mean Streak  
  
Smackdown: January 23  
**  
William Regal tried to keep from sneering as he looked at the repulsive man across the desk from him. The WWF Commissioner was currently meeting with one-third of the Alliance's leadership, Paul Heyman. The ECW mastermind was smiling. "So we're in agreement?"  
  
"Yes," Regal sighed. "Fifteen members of each side -- that means fiften from either WCW or ECW and fifteen from either the WWF or CIW -- will compete in the Royal Rumble match."  
  
"And the winner gets a guaranteed title-shot at the WWF Champion at _Wrestlemania_," Heyman reminded him. "Don't forget that."  
  
"I assure you, I can't," Regal said. "Mr. McMahon won't let me."  
  
"Good!" Heyman said gleefully. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go do my announcement duties." He got up to leave, but a hand pushed him back down in his chair. He looked up and found himself looking at a smirking Billy Rose.  
  
"Whoa, whoa, Paulie, what's the rush?" Rose said. "You want to be smart, don't you? Stick around. Hang out with us long enough and maybe you'll soak up some brains by osmosis." He paused. "Oh, sorry, is that too big a word for you?"  
  
"You talk big, Billy," Heyman said, standing up to look him in the face, smirking a bit. "But I seem to recall that the last match you were in saw you get a 3-D through a table."  
  
Rose frowned momentarily, then pointed out, "Yes, Paulie, but I seem to recall that in your last match... actually, come to think of it, I don't seem to recall you ever even _having _a match."  
  
Regal chuckled as Heyman reddened, then left in a huff. Rose seated himself on a corner of Regal's desk and watched him leave, then turned to the commissioner. "So what's on tap for tonight?"   
  
Regal consulted a pad of paper. "Kurt Angle has a match against Booker T, the Dudleys have a match against Tony Smiles and Joey, Rob Van Dam has a match against Scion, and there are a few interview segments as well. That miserable toe-rag Shane McMahon has one in particular."  
  
Rose frowned again. "I might have to crash one of those interviews."  
  
* * *  
  
In one of the early matches of the show, the Dudley Boyz were wrestling Tony Smiles and his pal, Joey. Despite an early roll by the mafiosos, soon the more seasoned Dudleys pulled ahead and got Tony isolated from Joey. WCW referee Nick Patrick let the table-loving duo get away with a lot of dirty tricks and double teaming, and "accidentally" ignored the sight of D-Von exposing the turnbuckle in the hostile corner.  
  
Soon Tony managed to escape D-Von's clutches and made the hot tag to Pal Joey, who charged the ring and started throwing around clotheslines. After he'd worn over the Dudleys for a bit, he grabbed D-Von by the throat with both hands and prepared to deliver his finisher, the Cleaver. He hoisted the black Dudley up, but then Bubba clipped one of Joey's knees. He dropped D-Von and started to turn around. Bubba retreated and ducked under Joey's swing. Swinging around, the larger mafioso charged, but the Dudleys grabbed him by the legs and carried him back in a double flapjack. Joey's jaw connected with the exposed turnbuckle and knocked him unconscious.  
  
D-Von covered Joey as Bubba caught a charging Tony for a Bubba Bomb. Nick Patrick counted the fall. 1... 2... 3. The Dudleys' music started to play as the two CIW mafiosos lay on the mat. The fans booed heavily, then cheered as two men jumped from the crowd. It was the Z-Men. Zed slid into the ring and started pounding on Bubba Ray, while D-Von turned to the corner just in time to see Zeta spring off in a twisting body attack -- the Zetasault. The heels scattered and retreated up the ramp, as Nick Patrick started angrily lecturing the WWF Tag Team Champions, pointing at the WCW patch on his shirt.  
  
Zed and Zeta shared a look. Zed quickly punched Patrick in the face, caught his collar, then hauled him up a bit, holding him by the waist and legs. Zeta bounced against the ropes a bit, shouting, "Z-D!" as he held his hands palm-out, left above his right, so his thumbs and hands made a 'Z' shape. He then pushed off the ropes, jumped up and caught Nick Patrick's head in a clothesline neckbreaker, carrying him down as Zed delivered a spinebuster. The fans cheered as "Song 2" played. The Z-Men approached the ropes and pointed at the Dudleys, who just flashed the 3-D sign. Zeta did the 'Z' sign again, then flashed the CIW sign.  
  
"See you at the Rumble!" Bubba shouted.  
  
"Gonna get'cher ass kicked, Bubba!" Zed hollered back. "Guarantee ya!"  
  
* * *  
  
The next segment of the show started off not too long after this. _"Here comes the Money! (Here we go - Money talks) Here comes the Money..." _The fans booed as Shane McMahon made his way to the ring. The usual spring to the young McMahon's step was gone. His face was set with anger as he stepped through the ropes and took a microphone. He waited for his music to stop, then had to wait out a chant of _"Shane's a pussy!" _from the crowd. Once it died enough, he shouted, "I have had enough of this CIW crap!" The fans booed him again. "Billy Rose seems to have forgotten something, and that's that nobody cares about CIW! CIW was nothing. It still _is _nothing! CIW is a bunch of bush-leaguers. Boys playing in a man's world."  
  
The fans booed him again, and when the noise subsided, Shane continued. "Billy Rose thinks he's so damn smart, bringing in CIW to help save the WWF. _Nothing _can save the WWF! The WWF is old, it is dying, and the Alliance is going to put it out of its misery. Nothing will save it, not even Billy Rose's CIW. The fact remains that the WWF and CIW can't keep up with the Alliance. My father, Vince McMahon, and Billy Rose run the WWF and CIW... but the Alliance is run by myself, my sister, Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, her husband, the World Wrestling Federation Champion, Triple H, and by the man who created ECW, Paul E. Heyman. There's no way they can keep up with us, and the sooner Rose and Vince realize this, the sooner the Alliance can finish its job and destroy the Federation."  
  
He paused for effect, but before he could start up again, he was interrupted by the OvalTron. The spinning CIW logo flashed on the screen, along with a snippet of the Offspring's "Defy You." _"We... are... ALIVE!" _This segued into the music of the Union Underground: _"How long? How long? How long? - I said how long? I said how long? I said how long? Until you crack, man..." _The fans started cheering as Billy Rose emerged, wearing dark jeans, a CIW T-Shirt, and his usual red over-shirt. He smirked, then out-and-out grinned at the crowd's reaction, then hit his usual pose, smirking smugly, then striding down to the ring as Shane seethed. Rose stepped through the ropes, strode up to Shane and deftly plucked the microphone from his hand before Shane could speak.  
  
Rose paused to wait out a _"C-I-W!" _chant, then said, "Shane, I don't think I'm so damn smart. I _am _so damn smart. Lest you forget, Shane-O, I am the Mental Elite. The simple fact is that if you try to outsmart me, you're just gonna fail. It's that simple." Then he stepped forward and glared into Shane's face. "But let me get something straight, boy. That's this -- CIW is not a bunch of boys playing in a man's world. Let me remind you, Shane-O, of all the matches that CIW's had against the Alliance, with the exception of two guys, all of our competitors have come out victorious. CIW was only bush-league because we were shut out of the national spotlight by WCW and ECW. We were mistaken for a bunch of one-brain-celled idiots who broke light bulbs over each other's heads, when we were as hard-working and skilled as anybody in the industry."  
  
Rose then paused a moment as Shane got another microphone, but continued talking before Shane could start. "There's something else you need to keep in mind, Shane. And that is that unlike Paulie, Steph, and yourself, _I can actually wrestle._"  
  
"I can wrestle!" Shane said. "I've done way more street fights and hardcore matches than you have."  
  
"I doubt that," Rose replied. "And I must point out, Shane, all of your wins in those street fights and hardcore matches came about because of outside interference. Let's review your big matches. You and Test. Test wins. You and Vince and Austin. You and Vince win, but Bossman raised the briefcase. You and Big Show. You win, but you had the assist from Test, Albert, Bossman, and Bull Buchanan. You and Vince. You win, but you had the assist from Mick Foley. You and Angle. You lose." He shook his head. "You see what I mean? All of your wins came out of outside interference. I think these people," he gestured at the crowd, "are right when they chant those three words at you every night."  
  
The fans cheered, and started off a prolonged _"Shane's a pussy!" _chant. Shane seethed, then snapped, "I'm not! I'm not! I can beat anybody! I can beat _you_!"  
  
"You challenging me to a match?" Rose said.  
  
"Damn right! This Sunday, the Rumble, you and me, Street Fight!"  
  
The fans cheered, and then Rose laughed. "Okay, Shane-O, you got a deal. It'll be a pleasure to give you Brain Damage."  
  
"Oh, you're not gonna give me anything!" Shane retorted. "I'll show you I'm not someone to be underestimated!" He started to turn to leave, then stopped. "In fact, I think I'll give you a free preview right now!" He spun back and dropped his mike, aiming a punch at Rose's face. Rose, however, saw it coming and deflected the attack, knocking Shane down with his own fist. The Boy Wonder retreated from the ring as Rose advanced to the ropes, holding up three fingers -- "Three days," he mouthed.  
  
* * *  
  
Later that night, Rob Van Dam defended his Hardcore title against Scion. The highly popular Alliance superstar was the de facto face, as every move he did got a big "_R-V-D!"_ chant. Scion, for his part, got a few cheers as well, but most of the heat went to the Whole F'n Show. Van Dam got a great deal of offense in, managing to stagger the enigmatic Scion a few times, hitting him with a Rolling Thunder at one point for a nearfall.  
  
The golden-haired Act of God, however, would not stay down. His offense may not have been as lightning-quick as RVD's, but his more deliberate style meant his attacks dealt more damage than RVD's glancing and short attacks. He started to set the ECWer up for a Jesus Wept powerbomb, aiming a kick to the gut, but Van Dam caught the foot, stepped over it with his left foot, then spun around to snap his other heel into Scion's face. Van Dam then went upstairs to prepare for a Five-Star Frog Splash, but the CIWer rolled out of the way and RVD hit the mat hard.  
  
Although moving with his usual deliberate speed, Scion did appear to be a bit winded, shaking a few stars from his eyes and holding his ribs where the Rolling Thunder had connected. He went to pick up a kendo stick that had been left in the ring, hitting RVD in the head with it as the Michigan native got to his feet. Van Dam staggered and started toward a steel chair in the corner. Scion cracked him in the back with the kendo stick, then caught up to him, grabbing his singlet and slamming him to the mat. Stooping, the Act of God picked up the chair, preparing to hit the downed Van Dam with it.  
  
However, the Whole F'n Show had been playing possum. As Scion raised the chair, RVD popped to his feet and spun in the air, his foot cracking into the chair, knocking it back into Scion's head in the Van Daminator. Scion went down, not moving, as RVD stumbled into the corner. He heard the pops from the crowd, who could anticipate where he was going with this, then looked back at Scion's positioning. He looked back at the crowd, then grabbed the top ropes, hoisting himself up to the top, twisting around so he faced the ring. He looked right, left, then sprang out in the air, swinging his hands down between his legs, then pumping them up, stretching out so his body slammed into the prone Scion with full force -- the Five-Star Frog Splash. Van Dam held his ribs in pain as he hooked a leg for the 1... 2... 3. The fans popped and started chanting _"R-V-D!"_ again. Van Dam got his usual cocky grin back as he accepted his belt, holding it up, then pointing at himself with his thumbs.  
  
* * *  
  
Not too long after Rob Van Dam's successful title defense, the OvalTron lit up again, playing "This is Extreme" while flashing images of Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley with a purple hue over them, also flashing the words _EXTREME _and _ECW_.The fans booed heavily as the Billion-Dollar Princess herself walked out in another semi-revealing outfit, smirking her arrogant smile as she slinked down to the ring. As she stood in the center of ring, holding a microphone, the fans chanted,_ "Slut! Slut! Slut!"  
  
"_You see? Rob Van Dam just _flattened _Scion! Just like the Alliance is going to _flatten _the WWF and CIW this Sunday at the _Royal Rumble_! And once the Alliance's former five-time WCW Champion regains his title, and once one of the Alliance's fifteen superstars wins the _Royal Rumble_, it won't matter who goes onto face my husband, Triple H, at _Wrestlemania_, because the Alliance will hold all the cards! We will shut the WWF out of Wrestlemania and prove we are the dominant brand of sports entertainment." Stephanie smirked again.  
  
"First, Tazz is going to _destroy_ that meddling Viper and _choke - him - out_!Then, the last ECW Champion, Rhyno, is going to break Victor E. in half with the Gore! The WCW Tag Team Champions, Chuck Palumbo and Sean O'Haire, are going to take out the Brothers of Destruction! The Dudleys are going to _annihilate _the Z-Men and bring the WWF Tag Team titles to the Alliance! Then, my brother, Shane McMahon, is going to beat Billy Rose _bloody _in the Street Fight, because my brother thrives on competition!" Stephanie gestured and pointed her finger to emphasize her points, clenching her fist and generally pissing off most of the fans in attendance. "Booker T., the former _FIVE-TIME _WCW Champion, is going to become the _new SIX-TIME _WCW Champion when he takes his title back from that so-called Force of Nature, Matthew Skinner. And my husband, Triple H, will _cripple _Kurt Angle to retain his WWF Championship, leaving him to face our Alliance winner from the Royal Rumble itself at _Wrestlemania_!"  
  
She was about to go on, but the roll of thunder/drums from the OvalTron interrupted her. The fans cheered as the disembodied voice proclaimed, _"This is your Storm Warning." _The Storm strode out of the smoke left behind after his pyros exploded, carrying his WCW Championship on his shoulder. He wore his _GeT__ SeT To GeT WReCKeD _T-Shirt and even wearing his sunglasses, one could tell that he was in a particularly foul mood. Stephanie looked a tad nervous as he walked up the steps and stepped into the ring. He let his belt dangle as he grabbed a microphone from a stagehand, then rounded on Stephanie. "I think Jericho will forgive me this one time if I tell you to just _SHUT THE HELL UP!_"  
  
The fans cheered the end of that catchphrase with him, while Stephanie grew angry and started to speak again. "Who the hell do y--"  
  
"What did I just finish telling you?!" Matthew Skinner demanded. "I've got news for you, Stephanie, and that is that I am _NOT _going to lose this title at the Rumble. Especially not to that roonie-spinning sucka, Booker T. I have worked too damn hard to get where I am today, and this belt," he said, holding it up, "is my reward for all the dues I paid. So if you think I'm going to just lie down and let him cover me like some no-talent hack, you've got another thing coming."  
  
"If you lay a hand on me..."  
  
"I'm not that stupid, Steph," The Storm said. "I may have taken my share of shots to the head, but all my marbles are still working. I pick my attacks, Steph. I am glad that you and your brother decided to give me the night off. I was surprised, sure, but I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth." He sneered. "However, I do have all this pent-up frustration that I have to vent tonight. Ask anyone in the back. I bumped into Tommy Dreamer back there. I hear he'll probably be conscious again by Sunday."  
  
Stephanie now looked nervous. She backed up as Skinner advanced. "But I still got a lot more where that came from. So guess what, Stephanie?" He leaned forward, growling, "You're next." Before she could react, he dropped his mike, then blasted her in the face with his belt, knocking her to the mat. The fans gave a surprised "OHHH!" as Steph crumpled. The Storm snarled and dropped to the mat, pressing the belt against her head as he shouted at her, off-mike, "This is mine! You get me?! I earned this! You're not taking it away from me! Not you! Not anybody! Nobody! You hear me?!"  
  
He stood up as Cold Steel's music blared around him, the fans cheering his attacking the despicable Stephanie, but nevertheless in shock at this change in his behavior. He draped the belt on his shoulder, stepping out of the ring and slowly walking along the side of the ramp, soon being flanked by Brick and the APA as Alliance people ran down the ramp to check on their fallen princess. They all turned and gave half-angry, half-shocked looks at the departing Force of Nature.  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: There would be hell to pay at the _Royal Rumble_. But for The Storm? Or for the Alliance?  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
April 20, 2002


	11. Let's Get Ready to Rumble

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Sunday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: There would be hell to pay at the _Royal Rumble_. But for The Storm? Or for the Alliance?  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: Commissioner Regal met with Paul Heyman to determine the rosters for the Rumble, and before leaving, Heyman bumped into Billy Rose and engaged in some verbal warfare. **Dudleyz**** def. Tony Smiles & Pal Joey**, but after winning, the Z-Men ran out of the crowd and chased off the Dudleys, then delivered a Z-D on Nick Patrick for mouthing off to them. Later, Shane McMahon came out to bitch about CIW, prompting Rose to come out and point out CIW's numerous wins over the Alliance. Shane got angry and challenged Rose to a Street Fight at the Rumble, which Rose readily accepted. **Rob Van Dam def. Scion **with the Van Daminator and Five-Star Frog Splash to retain the Hardcore Title. Stephanie came out to gloat, proclaiming that the Alliance would win all its matches, but The Storm -- who had been given the night off from putting his WCW title on the line by Shane, Stephanie, and Heyman -- came out and angrily berated Stephanie, swearing that he was not going to lose the title he'd worked hard to earn, then attacked Stephanie, leaving her lying as the fans and other superstars looked on in shock.  
  
**Chapter 11: Let's Get Ready to Rumble  
  
Sunday Night Heat: January 26  
**  
Vince McMahon did not hold back the sneer of disgust on his face as he stood in the room with Paul E. Heyman. Heyman, likewise, did not hold back the sneer of disgust on his face. Gathered in the room were the assembled superstars of each organization -- WCW, ECW, CIW, and the WWF. In the center of the room was a simple opaque box with a hole in the top. Security guards stood between the two sides.  
  
"All right, here's how it's going to work," Vince said. "In this box are small plastic balls. Enough for each man in this room. Inside every ball is a slip of paper. If your paper is blank, that means you're not in the Rumble. If your paper has a number on it, that means you have drawn that number for the Rumble itself. All right, now, everyone who already has a match tonight, please leave."  
  
One at a time or in pairs, Victor E, Rhyno, Viper, Tazz, Billy Rose, Shane McMahon, Palumbo & O'Haire, Undertaker & Kane, the Z-Men, the Dudleys, Booker T, The Storm, Triple H, and Kurt Angle left the room. Vince sneered a bit. "All right, now, since you won the coin toss, Paul, your side gets to draw the first one, then my side gets to draw."  
  
Heyman said, "I know that, Vince. Not like it matters. You realize that it's possible that the Alliance could end up with more participants in the Rumble than the WWF or CIW?"  
  
"Conversely," replied Jenny Black, "the WWF or CIW could end up with more participants than the Alliance."  
  
That set Heyman back. Then he just sneered and signaled for Tommy Dreamer to step forward and make his draw.  
  
* * *  
  
As Matthew Skinner headed toward his locker room, he was stopped by Commissioner Regal. "Mr. Skinner, I was hoping I could find you."  
  
"What do you want, Regal?"  
  
"I want to know just what in the bloody hell were you thinking, last Thursday on _Smackdown_?" Regal inquired. "Do you understand the consequences of knocking out that shrill-voiced little tart? You're the WCW Champion, and like it or not, that means that Shane, Stephanie, and that miserable toe-rag Paul Heyman get to make your matches. They can make life extremely bad for you."  
  
"Don't you think I know that?" The Storm replied. "I don't give a rat's ass what they do. I've been tolerating a lot of shit in my life, especially from people who think they can push me around. Sooner or later, they all learn that I will push back, and I will show them what agony is." He paused, glaring at Regal, then went on, "I just gave Stephanie a Storm Warning. If she and her buddies take that the wrong way, then I pity them, because I will not lose this title without a fight."  
  
"And what if they just strip you of it?"  
  
The Storm smirked. "Okay, let's say I win tonight, and so does Triple H. That means the Alliance still holds the WWF Championship. If they decide to strip me of my title, then Vince can do the same thing to Triple H."  
  
"And if Kurt Angle wins tonight?"  
  
The Storm frowned a bit. "Then I'll be walking on eggshells. But all the same, the Terrible Trio best be careful how much they push me. Sooner or later, the Force of Nature always destroys what's in his way."  
  
He pushed past Regal and into his locker room.  
  
**Royal Rumble: January 26  
  
**Early in the show, following Viper's match with Tazz, Victor E fought against Rhyno. It was a match between the last CIW Champion and the last ECW Champion. It was a chance for the "junior partner" of each side to prove their mettle, by having their top guys fight each other.  
  
Whereas Rhyno brought brute force and aggression, Victor was a bit more cerebral in his style. Where Rhyno savagely attacked, Victor picked his attacks, focusing on Rhyno's leg, which he'd weakened a bit in some of their previous encounters. The Man-Beast did focus most of his attacks on Victor's ribs, which he'd tenderized the week before with a pair of vicious Gores.  
  
As the match got closer to the end, Victor was whipped into the ropes by Rhyno, who then caught him in a bearhug. The fans booed as the long-haired Detroit native dug his hands into the spine of the long-haired Californian. Victor's ribs ached as Rhyno cinched in the hold, squeezing the breath from him.  
  
Slowly, he felt his strength leach out of him, but then Victor caught his second wind. He pushed Rhyno's head back and started pummeling him in the forehead and temple, soon forcing the Man-Beast to release the bearhug. To buy himself more time to recover, Victor then raked the eyes before kicking out Rhyno's knee. Victor stumbled back into the corner to catch his breath, then moved out to kick Rhyno in the stomach as he got back to his feet.  
  
The last CIW Champion then stepped behind Rhyno, hooking one of his arms and pulling the other one back, setting up for a pumphandle. At ringside, Heyman was practically pitching a fit as Victor swung the last ECW Champion onto his shoulders. With muscles bulging as he tried to keep the heavier Rhyno up, Victor turned in a circle before pivoting to one side, then to the other, swining Rhyno out into a flapjack in the Victory Slam. Moving swiftly now, Victor wrapped Rhyno's injured leg around his own in a deathlock, then leaned forward and stretched him back into an STF... the Jaws of Defeat.  
  
Screaming in pain, Rhyno struggled to get to the ropes, but Victor wrenched in the STF, and soon the Man-Beast pounded the mat with his hand. The referee called for the bell as Victor kept the Jaws locked on for a little longer, then stood up, one arm holding his ribs as the other was raised in success.  
  
* * *  
  
Victor returned to the CIW locker room amidst cheers from his mates, draping a towel around his neck and dousing himself with a bottle of water to cool down. He slapped a few palms, then noticed that a large black man with a flat-top haircut was not joining in the celebration. Instead, Hal Maxim was watching a tape on a monitor. The victorious former champion went over to him. "What's the matter, Hal?"  
  
Maxim looked up, then pointed at the screen. "Something Skinner said earlier tonight on _Heat _seemed strange, so I got the tape from Vince. I think I found it." He stopped the rewind and hit 'play.'  
  
Skinner said to Regal, _"I've been tolerating a lot of shit in my life, especially from people who think they can push me around. Sooner or later, they all learn that I will push back, and I will show them what agony is."  
  
_That brought all activity in the locker room to a halt. Everyone looked at the monitor as Maxim paused it on The Storm's hardened gaze. Victor stared at the screen. "Holy shit."  
  
Nate Starr stepped forward. "Did he just say 'agony'?"  
  
Maxim nodded. "That's what caught my ear. I was hoping I was wrong, but..."  
  
Smoker shook his head. "Shit. Let's hope he didn't mean what we think that means."  
  
* * *  
  
After the Brothers of Destruction -- Undertaker & Kane -- dominated Chuck Palumbo & Sean O'Haire to claim the WCW Tag titles, a brief video package aired to set up the Rose/Shane match. Though the match had only been set up the previous Thursday, the WWF production team had already put together a package which included clips from all of Shane's previous big matches -- the ones that Rose had enumerated, all of which featured Shane winning through sneaky means... which is to say, through cheating. The gist of this match was that Shane was trying to prove he could win matches by himself, and as such, nobody was allowed at ringside, either from the Alliance, the WWF, or CIW.  
  
In the early going, Rose had the clear advantage, with his larger size and more experience allowing him to throw Shane around the ring, pummeling him nearly senseless more than once. Soon, however, the Mental Elite brought in the weaponry, in the form of a few trashcans and lids and the ever-present kendo stick. He suplexed Shane to the mat, then went to go get a steel chair. When he returned to the ring, however, Shane was waiting with a trashcan lid. He cracked Rose in the head with it, then a second time, then a third.  
  
With Rose now dizzied, Shane picked up the kendo stick and gave it a few twirls in his hand. With a distinctive crack, the Singapore cane snapped down over Rose's head a few times. Feeling cocky, Shane skipped around the ring a bit, bouncing on his feet, hitting the Californian whenever he looked about to get back to his feet. Finally, Shane knocked him down in the corner near the chair, then went to get one of the trashcans. Shane advanced, raising the trashcan, but Rose showed his own swiftness, jumping to his feet, steel chair in hand. He spun around and smacked his chair into the can, knocking it back into Shane's face, knocking him down.  
  
The match continued on, with one or the other controlling the situation for a while before the other got the upper hand. Both men were bloodied. Shane's greater experience in these sort of matches allowed him to get in all sorts of standard Street Fight spots, but Rose's toughness -- which he'd showcased in his series of matches with The Storm the previous summer and in his brief venture into the Hardcore division -- enabled him to keep getting up and attacking Shane. Soon it became obvious the two were fairly evenly matched, but that the young McMahon was going to lose.  
  
That's why, after Rose clobbered Shane in the face with the steel chair, sending him out of the ring, Shawn Stasiak and Hugh Morrus ran out to try to help him. When Shane recovered enough of his senses to see them, however, the Owner of WCW started shouting. "Get out of here!" he yelled. Seeing the perplexed expressions on their faces, Shane ranted, "I don't need your help! Go on!"  
  
Referees came out to escort the two confused WCWers to the back as Shane circled around the ring, looking in at Rose, who had used the time to get his wind back. The Californian raised his hands to his sides and beckoned for Shane to come at him. Shane jumped on the apron and tried to go for a hotshot, but Rose managed to block it and turn around so his jaw wouldn't catch on the top rope. In doing so, he kept his grip on Shane's head, then dropped down in a move not unlike the Diamond Cutter, snapping Shane off the top rope. The young McMahon flew off the apron and crashed through the announce table.  
  
Rose slid out and dragged Shane out of the wreckage, pulling him into the ring, where he stood over the steel chair. He hooked Shane's head, then spun around, dropping an elbow onto the back of Shane's head, driving him down into the steel chair in the Brain Damage. Rose turned the limp Shane onto his back and covered him for the pinfall. 1... 2... 3. The CIW ringleader got a surprisingly decent pop from the crowd in spite of his long record as a heel, largely because he was playing off against the despised Shane McMahon.  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, Rose was being checked out by the medic, who had cleaned the small gash on the Californian's head and put a bandage on it. Victor E walked up, looking troubled. Rose grinned at him. "Hey, Vic, we're doing pretty good tonight. I'm sure Zed and Zait'll retain too."  
  
Victor looked at him. "We need to talk about something, Billy."  
  
Rose heard the seriousness in his tone, then looked at the medic. "Can you excuse us, please?" The EMT left, and then he looked back at his former Triumvirate comrade. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Did you see any of _Heat _tonight?"  
  
"No. I was busy getting ready for my match with Shane. Why? What happened?"  
  
Victor sighed. "Skinner was talking with Regal, and he said that if Shane, Steph, and Heyman kept messing with him, he'd show them what agony is."  
  
Rose, who had started unwrapping his wrist, looked up with alarm. "Agony?" Victor nodded. "Please tell me you're joking."  
  
"Swear to God, I'm not." Victor shook his head. "And you should've seen the look in his eyes just then. I swear, he looked--"  
  
"Don't." Rose held up a hand. "I don't even want to think about that."  
  
Now the former CIW Champion looked at him suspiciously. "Did you bring the Belles in?"  
  
Rose glared at him. "Hell no. I learned my lesson last time I dealt with them. Not to say they didn't offer to come in, but I flat out told them to go back to Hell."  
  
Victor scratched his chin. "Maybe Skinner called them in."  
  
"I should hope he's smarter than that," Rose muttered. "Considering what they put him through."  
  
"They put him through all that because you told them to, Billy," Victor pointed out.  
  
"I know!" Rose snapped. He sighed. "Let's just hope that was just a phrase, and not a premonition." He tore off the tape on his wrists, then looked up. "All the same, tell Scion to keep his eyes peeled."  
  
* * *  
  
Next up, Zed & Zeta put their WWF Tag Team Championship on the line against the Dudley Boyz. The Z-Men had been on an incredible roll in the Tag Team division since winning the titles the previous summer, besting just about every team that came along. The Dudleys, however, were another story. The masters of the tables had managed to best the champions more than once in the preceding weeks, putting them through tables and generally making themselves a menace. There was a credible threat to Zed & Zeta's title reign in the Dudleys.  
  
The Dudleys came to the ring accompanied by Stacy Keibler, who lounged on a table carried between the two ECWers. Stacy was wearing a Dudley-camo skirt, as short as she could legally make it (at least in forty-nine states), and a short Dudleyville 'postcard' shirt. The Dudleys' camo was black, white, and red tonight. They were quite pumped up, and after depositing the table at the base of the ramp, they then entered the ring and posed before pacing restlessly.  
  
The Z-Men were also accompanied by their female counterpart, the brunette bombshell Dee Meaner, who wore a new T-Shirt, a gray one that bore a stylized Z emblem -- Zed & Zeta's symbol -- with 'broken concrete' designs around it. The back simply read _Zed & Zeta - The Men of the Z. _As always, she wore her baggy orange, prison-issue-type pants and black sneakers. Zeta was wearing his own _Men of the Z _T-Shirt as part of his usual ensemble.  
  
The early part of the match was dominated by the Dudleys, who managed to take the heavy-hitting Zed out of the picture early on by attacking him before the official start of the match and then double-flapjacking him through the set up table. This served several purposes. First, it kept Zed out for a while. Second, it kept Dee occupied with concern for her friend. And lastly, it allowed the Dudleys to have their way with the smaller Zeta, who fought valiantly before the numbers game caught up to him.  
  
It soon became clear to the fans and the announcers that the Dudleys could win the match anytime they wanted at this point. Zeta was unable to defend himself against the ECWers ruthless onslaught, although he still had the ability to kick out of their pins. This was thanks to the fact that the Dudleys did not deign to take him out with the 3-D and thus render him senseless and unable to kick out.  
  
Finally, the Dudleys hit the Wassap Drop (sans Wassap) on Zeta, prompting Bubba to order D-Von to "Get the tables!!" Stacy applauded the decision, then was flabbergasted as Dee Meaner suddenly pounced. She rushed over to D-Von and gave him her trademark roundhouse kick to the head. When Bubba tried to charge after her, Zeta -- still conscious in spite of the beating -- tripped him up. Stacy ran at Dee and surprised her with a slap across the jaw. The CIW bombshell, made of stronger stuff than that, gave her a roundhouse kick too.  
  
By now, Bubba had managed to dislodge himself from Zeta and the referee and confronted Dee. The white Dudley Boy, however, had forgotten about Zed. The bruiser from Baltimore lunged out of the wreckage of the table and attacked Bubba, clobbering him and throwing him into the ring. Zeta crawled to the Z-Men's corner and officially tagged in the thoroughly pissed-off Zed, who went right back to beating on the Dudleys.  
  
Soon, Zed hit the Z-Slam on Bubba Ray and rolled him out of the ring. Zeta dizzied D-Von with the Zetasault, then started bouncing on the ropes, shouting "Z-D!" as he flashed the Z-sign with his hands. Zed went to whip D-Von toward the ropes, but the black Dudley reversed it even as Bubba tripped up Zeta and threw him into the steel stairs. Zed went into the ropes and went right into D-Von, who carried him up and into Bubba Ray's waiting grasp. The fans, half booing and half chanting "3-D!", groaned as Zed hit the mat hard. D-Von, the legal man, rolled into the cover for the 1-2-3!  
  
Now the boos came in force as Howard Finkel announced, "Here are your winners, and the _new _WWF Tag Team Champions... the DUDLEY BOYZ!" Collecting their belts and their woozy valet, the Dudleys retreated up the ramp, flashing the 3-D sign. Dee and Zeta both glared after them as they checked on Zed. Bubba grinned sadistically as he shouted back, "Thou! Shalt not mess! ... With the Dudleys," he finished in a soft chuckle. He turned his back and left up the ramp to the sound of their music.  
  
* * *  
  
There was an emergency meeting, of sorts, for CIW in their main locker room. The only ones missing were Scion and Brick. Billy Rose and Jenny Black called the gathering to order. "Okay, listen up!" Rose called. "I called you guys in here real quick to just dispel any rumors that I brought the Hellions in for the counter-invasion."  
  
"Yeah, you better not have brought them in!" Maxim shouted. Much shouting of agreement accompanied that.  
  
"I didn't!" Rose shouted back. "Bringing in Hell's Belles and their boy-toys would be inviting trouble. We all know they have their own agenda, and I seriously believe they'd turn on CIW first chance they got. I don't want that to happen."  
  
"What about Skinner?" called Tony Smiles.  
  
Rose sighed. "I saw the tape, and yeah, he did say 'agony' at one point." The whole room got in an uproar, which he had to shout over. "Relax! Relax! It was probably just a slip of the tongue. Skinner got put through the worst shit by the Hellions, and I doubt he'd want to revisit that."  
  
"Revisit what?" All heads turned to the door, where Rain stood next to Scion. "Sorry, I know I'm not part of CIW, but Scion said I might want to hear this."  
  
Rose glanced over at the hooded warrior, whose eyes were hidden in shadow. Scion bowed his head slightly, lips moving in some form of silent prayer. Rain, meanwhile, skewered Rose with her gaze. "What wouldn't Matthew want to revisit?" she demanded.  
  
Rose sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Rain, there's something you should know about Matthew Skinner's time in CIW."  
  
* * *  
  
At the gorilla position, The Storm paced, shaking out his arms. He wore his _I am a Force of Nature _T-Shirt tonight as part of his regular outfit. He turned to Brick, who was helpfully holding the WCW title. Matthew Skinner took it from him. "I doubt want you getting involved unless the Alliance tries a screwjob finish. I talked to Big Show, and he said he'd add extra muscle, just in case. He should be around soon. Just keep Shane or anybody else from getting involved, yeah?"  
  
"Sure." Brick was unaware of the current controversy, so he saw no reason to get too alarmed at Skinner's intensity prior to his match.  
  
The two of them looked up and glowered a bit as Booker T walked up. The former five-time WCW Champion looked at them, then more pointedly at The Storm and his title belt, before heading out as his music played. Behind his sunglasses, Matthew Skinner's eyes gleamed, "The Necksnapper's nothing in comparison for what awaits you tonight, Booker," he said, as though to himself.  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: An ominous threat seems to hang over the WWF with The Storm's references to "agony." What is in store for Booker T, and the rest of the Alliance? More importantly, what is in store for the WWF and CIW?  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
May 1, 2002


	12. A Taste of Pain

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks immediately after the last one.  
  
Teaser: An ominous threat seems to hang over the WWF with The Storm's references to "agony." What is in store for Booker T, and the rest of the Alliance? More importantly, what is in store for the WWF and CIW?  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: Vince and Heyman began the drawings to determine who would participate in the Rumble match. Commissioner Regal asked The Storm why he had attacked Stephanie, reminding him that the Alliance could make his life as WCW Champion very miserable. The Storm replied by saying, "I've been tolerating a lot of shit in my life, especially from people who think they can push me around. Sooner or later, they all learn that I will push back, and I will show them what agony is." **Victor E def. Rhyno **with the Victory Slam and Jaws of Defeat. Backstage, the CIWers grew nervous when they saw a tape of The Storm's comment to Regal, in particular his mentioning of "agony." **Billy Rose def. Shane McMahon **in a Street Fight with the Brain Damage to a steel chair, despite Shane's best efforts, after the WCW Owner sent two well-meaning WCWers to the back, wanting to win on his own. Victor brought The Storm's words to Rose's attention, causing more nervousness. **Dudleyz**** def.**** The Z-Men **to become the new WWF Tag Team Champions after dominating Zeta and hitting the 3-D on Zed for the win. CIW met in a sort of emergency meeting, with Rose trying to calm any rumors about a group called the "Hellions" and "agony," but then Rain walked in, wanting some sort of explanation. Meanwhile, The Storm prepared to face Booker T, and promised, "The Necksnapper's nothing in comparison for what awaits you tonight, Booker."  
  
**Chapter 12: A Taste of Pain  
  
Royal Rumble: January 26  
**  
"The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the WCW Championship!"  
  
_"Can you dig it, sucka?" _The lights flashed orange and yellow as the music played. Booker T came out on the stage, head bowed, then shaking as he pumped himself up. He raised his hands in the air, gouts of flame erupting at the top of the stage. He stared at the ring with his wide eyes, walking slowly down to it. "Introducing first, from the Alliance, weighing in at 250 pounds... BOOKER T!" By the time the former five-time WCW Champion was in the ring and posing on the second rope, his music was winding down.  
  
The ominous rumble of thunder began to play and the fans started cheering. With a crash, the lights went out as the voice whispered, _"This is your Storm Warning." _Guitar chords wailed like sirens before the percussion kicked in and Cold Steel began to play. _"I'm a Force of Nature, I'm outta control! I live in the lightning, let the thunder roll! I kill the sunshine, bring on the rain! I am The Storm, and I'll bring you the pain!" _The Storm emerged, wearing his title around his waist."And his opponent, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 240 pounds... he is the WCW Champion... the Force of Nature... 'THE STORM' MATTHEW SKINNER!"  
  
As referee Charles Robinson kept Booker at bay (Vince McMahon had managed to force Heyman to keep Nick Patrick from getting this match), Matthew Skinner walked up the steps onto the apron. He paused there, glaring coldly at Booker through his sunglasses. The Force of Nature stepped through the ropes, then turned to the corner, climbing up to the second rope, where he removed his title and raised it in the air. Stepping back down, he handed the belt to Robinson, who held it in the air, then removed his sunglasses.  
  
Booker and Skinner stared each other down a bit, then they attacked. Booker got the early advantage, muscling The Storm back into a corner, where he started to work him over with right hands and chest chops. After a little bit of this, he whipped him across the ring, then went for the clothesline. The Storm blocked with a back elbow, then started pummeling back. He went for a whip to the ropes, which Booker reversed. He swung a clothesline, but it was ducked, so Booker hit Skinner on the rebound with a spinning back elbow.  
  
He went for a quick cover, 1... 2 -- and The Storm kicked out easily. Angrily, Booker went for another cover and got another two-count. Snarling, he pulled The Storm to his feet, but Skinner recovered and nailed him with a jab to the throat. Rasping at the attack, Booker was then left open for a clothesline neckbreaker. The Storm turned Booker onto his back and started jabbing his elbow into his neck. Robinson pulled him back, so Skinner stood the Bookerman back up and slowly twisted him around into a neckbreaker.  
  
As Booker lay on the mat, holding his neck in pain, The Storm stood up and grabbed his left arm, twisting it into an armbar, locking his legs around it.  
  
* * *  
  
"I'm sure Skinner told you about his time in CIW," Billy Rose said to Rain.  
  
"Somewhat," she said. "He left out some details. And he had quite a lot of things to say about you in particular. Mostly four-letter words."  
  
"And I'm sure I deserve them," the CIW mastermind said. "Did he tell you about the various gimmicks he had in CIW?"  
  
She nodded. "He said he started out as 'Metalhead Matt,' then later became 'The Survivor.'"  
  
Rose nodded in return. "Yeah. He became 'The Survivor' after a few dealings with me and Tony. But did he ever mention a group called the Hellions?"  
  
* * *  
  
The Storm wrenched in the armbar for a bit, then released Booker, letting him stand up. He went for his arm-dislocating Irish whip, but the former WCW Champion planted his feet and managed to reverse the whip, catching him on the rebound with a stiff clothesline. The Book went for a cover, but Skinner kicked out quickly. Frustrated, Booker T started slapping and "mauling" his opponent's back with open-palmed slaps.  
  
Ignoring the angry groaning coming from The Storm, Booker whipped him into the corner hard. Skinner staggered back out of the corner, and was nearly decapitated by a Harlem Side-kick. Booker went for the pin again, but The Storm kicked out, then grabbed the second rope. He pulled it down and then used his legs to knock Booker through them to the outside. Standing up, Matthew Skinner shook his head to clear it a bit, then turned to the ropes. Booker was getting up from his fall.  
  
"Yo, Book!" The Storm shouted, grabbing the top rope and crouching down. He then leapt in the air, catapulting himself up and over the top in a _pescado_onto Booker. He worked him over with a few angry punches across the face, then stood him up. He gauged the distance between their position and the ring post, then went for a whip. The WCWer, however, reversed it and The Storm crashed face-first into the post, spinning around to fall on his back.  
  
Booker then stood him back up and bashed his face off the Spanish announce table, then the American announce table. He then went to do the same off the steel ring steps, but Skinner blocked that and did it to Booker instead. Blood was already starting to leak from a cut on the Force of Nature's forehead, but he didn't seem to notice. He bashed Booker off the steel a second time, then rolled him into the ring. The Bookerman staggered back into the corner, and tried to stop The Storm's advance with a kick to the midsection.  
  
That only seemed to piss him off. Skinner bashed Booker in the face with a fist and then started dealing out knife-edge chops and open-handed slaps to the chest.  
  
* * *  
  
"The Hellions were a group not unlike the Ministry was here in the WWF," Rose explained to Rain. "Except the Hellions weren't too interested in stealing souls so much as disrupting anything they could."  
  
"He doesn't just mean matches either," Victor E interjected. "They tried to break up teams and couples. There was this guy, Chris Naples, who we called Sky Guy--" He paused for a moment as everyone bowed their heads. Scion, who was stationed near the door, made the sign of the cross in the air. Victor went on, "--who was going out with a woman named Kylie. Well the Hellions did their damnedest to break them up. And they succeeded."  
  
Rain glanced back at Scion, then looked at Victor. "Wait, was with that just now? What happened to Sky Guy?"  
  
Scion spoke, "He died during a match a few years ago. It had nothing to do with the Hellions, but Christopher was a friend to everyone here."  
  
Rose went on, "Well, at one point, the Hellions tried to subvert Skinner." He sighed and hung his head a bit. "And they did it because I told them to."  
  
* * *  
  
Finally tiring of the pummeling he was giving Booker in the corner, The Storm pulled him back out and hiptossed him to the mat. He then reapplied the armbar, stressing the shoulder and weakening it. When Booker shouted in pain, Skinner just gave a malicious grin, the blood dripping down his cheeks from his forehead, leaving streaks down the side of his face.  
  
Eventually, The Storm stood him back up, then went for the Necksnapper. Booker squirmed and bucked, scrambling to the ropes and grabbing the bottom rope for dear life. Angrily, the Force of Nature grabbed his ankle and applied the Twister Anklelock, wrenching it in for a bit before Charles Robinson made him break the hold. As the referee lectured The Storm, Booker crawled out of the ring.  
  
As Booker limped and held his shoulder and neck in pain, Skinner nailed him with a baseball slide, knocking him into the announce table. "Where you goin', Book?" The Storm inquired as he blistered his chest with a knife-edge chop. "We're not done yet!" He delivered a second, then rolled him back into the ring. As he followed suit, however, Booker came off the ropes and managed to hit the Scissor Kick.  
  
The Storm lay on the mat, but Booker was distracted from immediately doing the pin by staring at his hand, shaking his head around as he prepared to do the spinaroonie. As he dropped to the mat and spun on his shoulders, he did not see Matthew Skinner roll onto his back and nip to his feet. Thus, as Booker returned to his feet, he found an angry Force of Nature waiting for him. Booker T swung a right hand, but Skinner blocked it, swung him around using the blocked arm, then hooked him in a full nelson, dropping him in the Downdraft.  
  
* * *  
  
"You did _what?_" Rain yelled.  
  
"I told the Hellions -- specifically their leaders, Allura and Desire, or the Hell's Belles as we called them -- to subvert Skinner." Billy Rose sighed. "I can't defend what I did. I was trying to find some way to get him under my control. I thought if they subverted him, they could eventually turn him over to me and I'd be able to give him orders for once." He laughed bitterly. "That didn't work."  
  
He looked up and saw Rain's questioning and angry gaze, and explained, "The Hell's Belles were backed up by these two guys, Ogre and Orca--"  
  
"Matthew's mentioned them," she said.  
  
"Then you know how big they were." Rose went on after she nodded, "Well they attacked Skinner during one of his matches and dragged him away. I thought Allura would just fuck with his mind or something, but it turns out she made a deal with him. She would enable him to both regain the CIW title -- which he'd lost to Smoker -- and be able to get his hands on me."  
  
He got up and paced a bit. "Skinner took the deal, though I, of course, didn't know about it. Not too long after, he beat Smoker for the title, and a few months later, Allura 'presented' him to me. As soon as she did, the deal was fulfilled and Skinner was himself again. So he promptly beat the shit out of me."  
  
Rain said, "What does any of this have to do with--?"  
  
Rose turned to her. "When the Hellions subverted him, Matthew Skinner stopped being 'The Survivor.' He became one of them. A psychopathic sadist. He became Agony."  
  
* * *  
  
After delivering the Downdraft, The Storm turned Booker onto his stomach, then twisted his left arm -- the one he'd been weakening all throughout the match -- into a hammerlock. Booker came around somewhat and tried to escape, but Skinner kneeled on the twisted arm, then locked his hands under his jaw, locking in the Necksnapper. Booker shouted in pain and started slapping the mat in submission. Robinson called for the bell. Cold Steel played in the arena as the fans cheered The Storm's win.  
  
"Here is your winner, and still the WCW Champion... 'THE STORM' MATTHEW SKINNER!"  
  
Matthew Skinner, however, was not releasing the Necksnapper. Robinson tugged on his arms to try to get him to release Booker T, without much success. Finally, as Robinson began a count, The Storm released his defeated opponent and chased the referee from the ring. He glared after him, then seemed to blink and look a tad confused. He reached up and wiped the blood from his cheeks, looking at his hand. He looked back at Booker, then reclaimed his title belt. He held it in the air to the cheering crowd, then shouted at Booker, "You see, jackass? It's mine!"  
  
* * *  
  
Rose went up to Rain and looked at her seriously. "Now, I mean it when I said I want nothing to do with the Hellions. If they're lurking around the WWF, I have nothing to do with it. But that's not to say someone else didn't bring them in."  
  
Jenny Black spoke up, "While we didn't tell Vince McMahon about them, he may have tried to bring them in himself."  
  
"Though you think he would've learned after the whole Ministry thing," Maxim said from his spot in the corner.  
  
"I thought Vince was behind the whole Ministry thing?" Smoker pointed out.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"At any rate," Rose snapped at them, then looked back at Rain, "I suspect -- I hope it isn't true, but it's possible that Skinner brought them in."  
  
There was a loud reaction from everyone in the room.  
  
"Hey! Hey! I said I hope that's not the case, but you all know how obsessed he's been about the WCW title as of late. Don't you think he might've made some deal about keeping the title?" Rose looked round at them.  
  
"If that were the case, I would think he'd go to the Terrible Trio," Victor said dryly.  
  
"Yeah, but he hates their guts," Tony Smiles said.  
  
"I don't know," Rose sighed. "But regardless, everyone be on your guard. If the Hellions are lurking about, then we're all in very deep shit. Tell anyone in CIW who doesn't know, and tell those in the Federation we think we can trust not to tell Vince."  
  
"Why aren't we telling him?" Victor inquired.  
  
"Vince hasn't got a very good track record when it comes to evil demonic groups like the Hellions," Rose pointed out. "Again, look at the Ministry. If he thinks he could use them to help destroy the Alliance, he'd take it, without thinking about what happens next -- the Hellions turn on us."  
  
He turned back to Rain. "And I have to ask you to be careful around Skinner. If he's made some sort of deal with them, then he'll become Agony sooner or later, and when that happens, you'll be in danger. Keep your eyes peeled."  
  
* * *  
  
Meanwhile, from a darkened hotel room, four pairs of eyes watched the events on the PPV with interest. Two pairs of the eyes looked at each other then, and the two spoke.  
  
"I think we'd best arrange to be around for _Raw_ tomorrow night," said one in a silky voice.  
  
"I'll make the call," the other said in dulcet tones. "Boys, pack your things, we're going on a trip."  
  
The other two simply nodded before turning away from the TV set and fulfilling the order.  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: The Royal Rumble match is underway with a lot on the line for every side.  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
May 26, 2002


	13. THE RUMBLE

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks immediately after the last one.  
  
Teaser: The Royal Rumble match is underway with a lot on the line for every side.  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: As Rose explained Matthew Skinner's CIW history to Rain, The Storm defended his WCW Championship against Booker T. The Storm was highly aggressive and put most of his focus on Booker's shoulder and neck during the course of the match. Rose told Rain that after evolving from jobber "Metalhead Matt" to "The Survivor," Skinner got on Rose's bad side enough that the CIW owner had an evil group called the Hellions -- lead by the Hell's Belles Allura and Desire -- kidnap Skinner and bend him into an obedient monster. The Hellions succeeded in turning Matthew Skinner into the dangerously sadistic and psychotic Agony, who had run roughshod over CIW until his "deal" with the Belles expired, whereupon he came to his senses and returned to himself. In the match, a bloodied Skinner eventually got his momentum back after Booker controlled the match, hitting the Downdraft and then locking on the Necksnapper to secure the win.  
  
**Chapter 13: The Rumble  
  
Royal Rumble: January 26**  
  
After the WWF Title match (which Triple H won after a bloody confrontation with Kurt Angle -- and which ended thanks to the interference of Stephanie and a cheap lowblow followed by a Pedigree), the ring was cleared and cleaned somewhat.  
  
Howard Finkel stood in the ring, "Ladies and gentlemen, it is now time for the Royal Rumble match! Here are the rules: in just a few moments, the participants who drew numbers one and two will come down to the ring and the match will begin. Approximately every two minutes thereafter, another contestant will come down and enter the ring. Elimination occurs when a participant is thrown over the top rope and _both feet _touch the floor. The winner of this match wins a guaranteed title-shot at the WWF Champion at _Wrestlemania_!"  
  
Finkel stepped out of the ring as the lights dimmed. A hiss played on the TitanTron and out walked the bulky form of Python. "The participant who drew #1, representing the Federation, from the London, England, weighing in at 235 pounds... PYTHON!" The fans booed slightly, given Python's heelish track record. The ski-masked wrestler stepped into the ring and ran off the ropes as he waited for his opponent.  
  
Not too long after, his music stopped and was replaced by a sort of techno number. Hugh Morrus walked out, wearing a WCW shirt. "And his opponent, representing the Alliance, weighing 280 pounds... HUGH MORRUS!" Morrus hit the ring and the bell rang to officially start the match and the two minute time-clock.  
  
The two grapplers circled each other before locking up. The larger Morrus pushed Python back toward the ropes, but before he could get to them and push the Venom member out of the ring, Python retaliated by breaking the lockup and raking Hugh across the face. He then pushed Morrus into the corner and tried to get him over the top, but Morrus hooked his arms under the top rope and held on, stretching his body across the ropes in the corner to make it as difficult as possible for Python to eliminate him.  
  
Morrus snapped his thumb into Python's eye, causing him to back off. The former General Rection backed him iinto the opposite corner and now the positions were reversed from just moments before. It soon became clear this was a major stalemate, and that neither man was going to get the true upper hand.  
  
That was solved when, not too long after, music hit and Chavo Guerrero, Jr. came running out. Chavo immediately joined Morrus in trying to get Python out of the ring. The Londoner fought back and managed to get out of the corner, knocking Chavo down with a big right hand, then doing the same to Morrus. The cruiserweight was up first and Python dragged him toward the ropes. Before he could get there, Morrus nailed him in the back with a double axe-handle, then tried to push him up and over. Python leaned back and hooked his arms under the top rope and made himself deadweight as both WCWers tried to eliminate him.  
  
"That's now two Alliance members in the ring, and they're trying to keep the numbers in their favor by eliminating the first man in the ring, Python, who is representing the WWF," Jim Ross reminded the viewers at home.  
  
"The Alliance is playing this smart, J.R.," Paul Heyman said from ringside. "Our wrestlers are working as a unit to try and win this for the Alliance, not for the individual."  
  
"We'll just see if all your guys agree with that philosophy there, Paul," J.R. replied.  
  
Two minutes after Chavo's arrival, the TitanTron lit up. _"We... are... ALIVE!" _came the standard CIW bumper, and then there was the click of a lighter as a flame lit up the screen slowly. A man slowly walked out on the dimly-lit stage, but the fans could see him taking a long drag on a cigarette. The music of a guitar slowly built to a crescendo, just as the man threw down his cig, causing pyros to explode at the top of the stage. _"Now you're playing with FI-I-IRE!" _screamed a vocalist as Smoker snarled, posing, smoke issuing forth from between his teeth and from his nostrils.   
  
The fans cheered as Smoker charged down the ramp and into the ring. They still remembered his evening the score earlier that night in Viper's match against Tazz, removing the random element of Tommy Dreamer's involvement. The CIWer immediately pulled Hugh Morrus off of Python and leveled him with a big right hand. Python took over with Chavo and got a running start to try and throw him over the top. He succeeded that much, but the cruiserweight landed on his feet on the apron and stepped back through the ropes, blindsiding the Londoner as he went to help Smoker.  
  
The situation remained in a stalemate until the next wrestler came out. The standard CIW bumper played (the bit from the Offspring), then the opening chords of "Fat Lip" by Sum 41 started playing. The smallish, cruiserweight Nate Starr came out, wearing a CIW T-Shirt and short trunks with yellow trim on the sides. He had brown hair, trimmed short on the left side of his head, and cut long on the right side. He ran down the ramp and into the ring.  
  
Starr ran down and slid into the ring, going over to grab Chavo and give him a back suplex. Smoker went back to work with Hugh Morrus, working in tandem with Python, but neither could seem to get the Laughing Man out of the ring. The two cruiserweights, meanwhile, continued to go at it. They seemed evenly matched, but unable to get the upper-hand on each other.  
  
"We are now almost ten minutes into the Rumble, Paul, and we have yet to see anyone get eliminated," J.R. commented.  
  
"Don't worry, J.R., I'm sure we'll start seeing eliminations any minute now!" Heyman said confidently.  
  
Sure enough, soon the buzzer hit to announce the arrival of the next entrant. Harsh, percussive music hit and Mike Awesome came running out on the ramp. Finkel didn't even have time to announce him before Awesome hit the ring and started going after Smoker and Python. Hugh Morrus and Awesome worked together to try and get Smoker over the top rope, with Python holding his back in pain from a nasty suplex delivered by the Awesome One.  
  
The CIWer fought back by punching Morrus in the face, then raking his fingers across Awesome's eyes. This bought him some breathing room. Meanwhile, Starr and Chavo were still going at it, each one trying to force the other over the top in the corner before reversing positions and starting over. Smoker hit Awesome in the back with a double axe-handle, then took him to the ropes to try and eliminate him. Awesome tried to render himself dead-weight, but the North Carolinian seemed to have the advantage.  
  
Python got back up to be set upon by Morrus again, but the situation was still stagnant. The WWF/CIW Coalition and the Alliance were each tied with three men in the ring. The situation was therefore unbalanced yet again when the buzzer hit and some rock music hit. Justin Credible came running out, divesting himself of ECW T-Shirt on the way. Justin immediately went to help Chavo try to eliminate Nate Starr, who responded to the two-on-one by hunkering down in the corner and covering his head to absorb the blows being rained down on him.  
  
There was still no change in eliminations. Smoker decided to soften Mike Awesome up a little before eliminating him, and gave him a snap suplex to the mat. He started stomping him, then briefly walloped Hugh Morrus when he tried to help his comrade, allowing Python a breather. The buzzer hit again, and music not unlike Mr. Perfect's began to play. Shawn Stasiak came out, yelling and pumping himself up, trying to appear impressive and intimidating. He came running down to the ring, slid under the bottom rope and charged at Smoker. The CIWer, for his part, just sidestepped, grabbed Stasiak's head and shoved, letting the former Meat's momentum carry him straight over the top. The fans laughed and cheered.  
  
"And there's our first elimination!" J.R. crowed. "Shawn Stasiak lasted all of two seconds!"  
  
"A minor setback," Heyman muttered. "That's all, a minor setback."  
  
As the referees converged to tell Stasiak to head to the back, Hugh Morrus managed to slam Python and then began to climb the ropes, apparently looking for the No Laughing Matter moonsault. That's when Python got back up and gave Morrus a shove off the top, sending him crashing to the floor. The fans cheered again; the numbers were equal again.  
  
Python then went over to help Nate Starr, pulling Justin off of him and attempting to pitch him over the top. Mike Awesome tripped up Smoker and tried to eliminate him next. The two continued to fight as Credible gave his trademark superkick to Python's jaw, driving the Londoner over the top and out of the ring.  
  
Now the CIWers were outnumbered three-to-two, and the beating began. Nate Starr was thrown out of the ring by Chavo, leaving Smoker alone against the three Alliance members. He soon got assistance, however, as a familiar tone hit, followed by a female voice: _"You think you know me..." _Images of the posing Edge & Christian played on the screen as Christian emerged and came running out. He went to help Smoker by pulling Justin off of the pile and hitting his reverse DDT.  
  
Mike Awesome and Chavo continued to work on Smoker, who resisted all attempts to push him over the top rope. Christian worked on Justin and then went to throw him out. Justin grabbed onto the top rope on the way over and tried to use his body weight and Christian's momentum to eliminate the young Canadian. Christian, however, grabbed the top rope as well, so the two dangled right next to each other, neither man touching the floor. Christian kicked at Justin and managed to dislodge him, eliminating him, then climbed back in to help Smoker again.  
  
It was two-on-two again now, but that came to an end shortly after Justin left backstage. _"Stand back! There's a Hurricane comin' through!" _preceded heroic-sounding music, as The Hurricane, the Alliance's self-proclaimed superhero, appeared at the top of the ramp. Helms spun in place, his arms extended to the sides, then dropped into a crouch, hitting his "hurri-pose" before running down to the ring, pulling off his cape on the way. He pulled Christian off of Chavo and prepared to deliver the Eye of the Hurricane, but as he prepared to swing around, Smoker barreled into him and threw him out of the ring -- but not over the top rope.  
  
With The Hurricane thus dealt with (at least for the moment), Smoker went back to Mike Awesome, who met him with a stiff kick to the midsection. The Rumble was now about twenty minutes old, with a third of the entrants having already come out, and five eliminated. The WWF/CIW Combine was outnumbered again, as Awesome again tried to eliminate Smoker, who -- despite having diminshed lung capacity from his namesake habit -- steadfastly refused to go down without a fight.  
  
Chavo tried to hoist Christian for a brainbuster, but the wily Canadian slipped free to the back, then grabbed the Latino wrestler's arms before turning him around and dropping him face-first to the mat in the Unprettier. As he got back up from the move, he turned to see The Hurricane -- with his cape on -- perched on the top rope. The superhero flew off the top rope in a high _plancha _(which Paul Heyman mockingly called "the _real _Windfall") at Christian. He landed flat on the mat as Christian stepped aside. Helms got up, holding his ribs. The seven-time WWF Tag Team Champion grabbed him by the cape, pulled him to the ropes and threw him over the top and to the floor.  
  
As The Hurricane left up the ramp, the TitanTron lit up for the next entrant. _"Who betta than Kanyon?" _The fans jeered as the ever-grinning self-proclaimed "Alliance MVP," Chris Kanyon, came down to the ring, posing and gesturing to his T-Shirt and his U.S. Title on his waist. He removed these and gave them to a stagehand as he approached the ring. The still-outnumbered Smoker and Christian continued to valiantly fight back, as Kanyon joined Mike Awesome in trying to eliminate the stubborn CIWer.  
  
Chavo came to and went after Christian again, who had been trying to help Smoker. The former Lt. Loco gave him a back suplex, then took him into the corner, where he tried to lift him over the top rope. A thumb to the eye reversed the situation and now Chavo was trying to avoid being eliminated again. On the other side of the ring, Smoker knocked down Kanyon with a right hand, then walloped Awesome in the face with another. The angered Awesome One charged, and Smoker dropped to the mat, pulling down on the top rope as he did so, his foot catching Awesome's ankle and tripping him up and over the top rope.  
  
The countdown timer hit zero again, and the TitanTron lit up green. _"BANG!! Yo, it's me, it's me, it's D.D.P." _The fans booed heavily as the Jersey native Diamond Dallas Page ran out, dropping his vest and rushing at Smoker. The two stared each other down, each remembering their singles match a few weeks earlier, when the North Carolinian pinned Page, and looked eager to pick it up again. Kanyon recovered from Smoker's sucker punch and grabbed his arms from behind so Page could strike.  
  
Page yelled and charged with a clothesline, but Smoker ducked out of the way, so Kanyon ended up taking the clothesline, which ended up knocking him over the top and to the floor. DDP didn't pause to agonize over eliminating a teammate or apologize to him, but instead promptly spun around to catch Smoker with his discus lariat before the CIWer could strike.  
  
The Chavo-Christian stalemate had continued up until this point, whereupon Page took advantage of Smoker's temporary incapacity to help out young Guerrero. As Christian pummeled Chavo in the corner to try and eliminate him, DDP came up from behind and spun the Canadian around, straight into the Diamond Cutter. The two WCWers took a brief moment to celebrate, then quickly tried to throw Christian out. To prevent that, Smoker got back up and attacked Page with a double axe-handle to the back, which got Page half-way over the top rope. The fans started screaming as it appeared close to DDP's elimination, but Chavo came to the rescue now, grabbing Smoker's face from behind and raking it. The North Carolinian staggered around, and Chavo quickly grabbed him to deliver a DDT.  
  
Soon enough, the countdown timer ended again. The moment the words _APA Protection _came up on the screen, the fans popped. Soon enough, Bradshaw came running out to the ring and started dishing out right hands, clotheslines, and shoulder blocks like they were going out of style. He wasn't discriminating, either. WWF, CIW, or Alliance, everyone got the same treatment, because after all, the APA were equal opportunity ass-kickers. The fans seemed a bit surprised when Bradshaw attacked Smoker and Christian, until the burly Texan made the traditional "I want the belt" motion at his waist.  
  
Chavo made the always-painful mistake of trying to crossbody Bradshaw, who simply caught him, booted down DDP when he tried to intervene, then flipped Chavo over his head as he fell over backwards in a Fallaway Slam. Smoker pounced on Page as he tried to get back up, while Bradshaw mercifully eliminated the semi-conscious Chavo.  
  
Page was now badly outnumbered, a fact not lost on Jim Ross, who rubbed it in at Heyman, who promised retribution. Soon enough, however, reinforcements arrived for the besieged DDP in the form of Tommy Dreamer. The fans booed as they remembered him from his interference in Viper's match earlier, and apparently Dreamer hadn't forgotten Smoker's involvement either. The ECW mainstay ran to the ring and promptly charged at the North Carolinian, his sheer momentum pushing him into the corner.  
  
The Alliance members were still outnumbered three-to-two (or four-to-two if you count the aggressive Bradshaw as two), and soon the numbers started ganging up on them. Dreamer remained focused on getting revenge on Smoker, while Christian and Bradshaw continued to pound on Dallas Page, who had been in the ring longest for the Alliance.  
  
The next entrant was Lance Storm, who promptly came to the rescue of fellow ECWer Tommy Dreamer by climbing to the top rope on his way into the ring, then springing off in a diving clothesline to Smoker, taking him down. By now, the fact that Smoker had been in the ring longest out of anyone, and it was starting to show. With the numbers for each side even again, the pairing off began again. A stiff dropkick by Lance softened Smoker up even more for the rabid Dreamer, who was unleashing his frustrations on the CIWer.  
  
Lance Storm paired off with Christian as Page continued to get his ass soundly kicked by Bradshaw. After a few moments, however, Bradshaw started to set DDP up for a Clothesline from Hell, but as the Texan came off the ropes, Lance met him with a superkick to the jaw. Dreamer then joined in and helped Lance clothesline him over the top rope. The beer-drinking Texan was understandably ticked off to have been eliminated, but two of the referees patroling the outside converged on him to keep him from re-entering the ring.  
  
As Bradshaw headed up the ramp, the buzzer hit for the next entrant. The lights went dark on the stage and ramp as the masked Soul came out. Bradshaw stopped him on the ramp, then pointed back in the ring. "I don't care what you do, just kick their asses!" Soul just nodded and ran down to the ring, sliding in and coming to aid Christian, whom Lance had started on again.  
  
The serious Canadian turned around straight into Soul's Lights Out spinning heel kick. As this was going on, Tommy Dreamer managed to lift Smoker onto his shoulder and drop him over the top rope to the outside. The fans booed as Smoker was eliminated and as Dreamer celebrated. The referees checked on Smoker, who was slow to get to his feet, but he waved them off and headed up the ramp. As he did so, the fans gave a small cheer as he pulled a (slightly battered) pack of cigarettes (Marlboros) from his pocket and lit up.  
  
Dreamer went over to go after Soul, who ducked under a right hand, went to the back, then promptly nailed the ECWer with the Soulplex. The fans groaned at the move, then cheered as Soul went to eliminate him. The Innovator of Violence, however, was from ECW, and in ECW, it took far more than a simple suplex (albeit one that dropped you on your head) to take someone out. Dreamer fought back, though not as rabidly as he had when fighting Smoker.  
  
The buzzer seemed to almost come too early (though the complete two minutes had indeed gone by). The fans popped as techno-esque music hit and the Whole Fucking Show appeared on the ramp. Rob Van Dam wore his Hardcore Championship on his shoulder, which he pointed to before raising his thumbs in the air and pointing to himself, saying his name in unison with the cheering crowd: "Rob - Van - Dam."  
  
RVD then dropped his belt and ran down to the ring to help out his comrades. Soul broke away from Dreamer to aim a kick at his midsection, but Van Dam caught the kick. He then stepped over Soul's leg with his left, then abruptly spun around to hit the step-over spin kick. Soul went down as the two ECWers laid in the stomps. On the other side of the ring, DDP and Lance Storm beat on Christian a bit more before Lance hit a superkick that sent the other Canadian over the top and out of the Rumble.  
  
Now the numbers were heavily against Soul, who continued to valiantly fight back. All four Alliance members threw him toward the corner and started to move in for the kill. As the enigmatic masked wrestler pulled himself to his feet with the ropes, his eyes fixated on Lance Storm -- the man who had tried to tear his leg off not too long ago. Soul launched himself out of the corner and tackled Lance, brawling with him for a few seconds before Dreamer and Van Dam pulled him off. Dreamer tried to hoist him for a Death Valley Driver, but Soul again escaped and hit a second Soulplex, one that rendered Dreamer nearly unconscious.  
  
As Soul came back to his feet, however, DDP grabbed him and nailed the Diamond Cutter, which served to put him down for a few moments. The foursome continued to stomp on him, enjoying beating him to a pulp.  
  
Then the buzzer hit to signal Soul's salvation. The CIW bumper played before the dirge-like theme of Scion played. The hooded holy man walked out, holding his cross in front of his face, his lips moving in a silent prayer before he dropped it and his robe at the base of the ramp. Scion slid into the ring and promptly grabbed the charging RVD, lifting him up and driving him to the mat in the Fall from Grace.  
  
Page was the next to try an attack, and Scion caught him as he came in, lifting him onto his shoulder, then pivoting and hurling him over the top rope. Lance Storm then attacked with a superkick which staggered the golden-haired warrior, sending him reeling into the corner. By now, Van Dam had somewhat recovered from the Fall from Grace and came to help Lance out, leaving Soul and Dreamer in varying states of consciousness in the middle of the ring. Scion withered for a moment under the combined assault, then blocked a swing from Van Dam to knock him to the mat with a powerful right hand, then do the same to Lance.  
  
Soul came back to his feet and attacked the Canadian from behind. He tripped Lance onto his stomach, then grabbed his leg and twisted it in a half-crab. The fans cheered as the ever-serious ECWer started screaming in pain. In the meantime, Scion and RVD continued to brawl, picking their match from the preceding _Smackdown _back up.  
  
The buzzer sounded again and generic rock music hit for Mark Jindrak, who ran down to the ring. He lasted only five seconds longer than Shawn Stasiak, managing to land two punches to Scion before the CIWer hit him with a left cross that knocked him over the top rope. Jindrak hung onto the top rope for dear life, trying to pull himself onto the apron, but Scion gave him a quick kick to the head to knock him down to the floor.  
  
Soul eventually released Lance from the half-crab, then stepped around so the Canadian could see him. Without saying anything, Soul started taunting him to get up and attack him. Soon enough, Lance did so, swinging a weak punch which Soul ducked. The masked man went for the Soulplex again, but his victim slipped out and tripped him onto his face. The Canadian went for the Maple Leaf, but Soul scrambled to the ropes and used them to pull himself to his feet. Lance had to step back over Soul's leg to stay on his own feet. He pulled him back out to the middle of the ring, where the WWF loyalist hit an _enzuigiri_.  
  
Meanwhile, RVD managed to topple Scion with a spinning heel kick, then dashed off the ropes, going into a somersalt before flattening himself on the holy man with a senton in the Rolling Thunder. He got back to his feet and pointed to himself with his thumbs, but as he did so, he exposed his back to Soul, who folded him up with the Soulplex. Scion slowly got to his feet, holding his jaw where RVD's spinning heel kick had caught him. By this point, Dreamer had managed to recover from the two Soulplexes he'd taken, but his first sight upon getting to his feet was Scion's fist.  
  
The buzzer signaled the next arrival, who was Raven. The master of self-pity divested himself of his leather jacket en route to the ring, sliding in to come to Dreamer's aid. A brief double-team commenced (with most of the work being done by the fresher Raven) before Raven signaled for the Raven Effect. He stalled a bit too long, however, as Scion rammed him back into the corner. Dreamer attempted to help out, but Scion deflected his swing, grabbed him by the back of the neck and his belt, then hurled him bodily out of the ring.  
  
Lance Storm came back to his feet and went after Soul, who was continuing to fight with Van Dam. The masked wrestler was thrown at the ropes, his momentum enough to send him over the top, but Soul was ready. He landed on his feet on the apron. Lance saw him and charged, but Soul grabbed the top rope and slingshot his body between Lance's legs. The Canadian's velocity meant he kept going, and since the top rope had been lowered by Soul's manuever, that meant Lance Storm went out to the floor.  
  
Scion brawled with Raven, who was giving as much as he was taking. The two seemed evenly matched, but soon Scion's larger size allowed him to absorb more of the punishment. He trapped Raven in the corner and started blistering his chest with hard knife-edge chops. As the Rumble continued in this fashion, the buzzer hit for the next entrant. _"You think you know me..." _Edge ran out, removing his jacket and sunglasses en route and went for Van Dam.  
  
The odds were now in the WWF/CIW Combine's favor, as Soul and Edge double-teamed Van Dam, who withered in the corner under their assault. Raven managed to duck a turnbuckle clothesline by Scion, then come off the ropes with his bounce-back lariat to ground the holy man. As Raven got back up from that attack, Edge split off and went after him instead.  
  
All too soon, the next buzzer sounded, followed by the sound of breaking glass. The fans went ballistic as Stone Cold Steve Austin stalked out on the ramp, taking his time as he came to the ring, picking his targets. He threw off his leather vest, came up the steps and between the ropes. Raven was the first person to unfortunately cross his path, and thus he was the first person the Texas Rattlesnake threw over the top rope. Edge turned to thank him, but Austin gave him the same treatment. There was no doubt in anybody's mind that the only thing Stone Cold cared about -- besides his next beer -- was the WWF Championship, and woe to the person who got in his way.  
  
Soul turned around as Austin came toward him and RVD. Austin promptly gave Soul the "Stone Cold salute" before kicking him in the gut and giving him a Stunner. Van Dam got to his feet. Kick and a Stunner for him as well. Scion was up next. Kick and a Stunner. Stone Cold paced in the ring a bit, debating which one to eliminate next. Soul started to stir, so Austin decided on him. He pulled the masked wrestler to his feet, held a middle finger in his face, then tossed him over the top.  
  
The Rumble was now into the last third, with twenty-two of the thirty participants having come out to the ring. Of those twenty-two, only three were in the ring, and only one was from the Alliance. Scion started to get back up, attracting the Rattlesnake's attention. Austin swung at him, but Scion ducked underneath and hit a neckbreaker. This kept the Bionic Redneck down for a little while, buying everyone a little time to breathe.  
  
RVD started to get back up first, necessitating the Act of God's attention. Scion went for him, but Van Dam stopped him in his tracks with a kick to the midsection and a swinging neckbreaker. Mr. Pay-Per-View staggered to the corner, then looked at the prone Scion. The fans cheered as they anticipated what was about to happen. RVD hoisted himself up to the top, turned to face the ring, gauged the distance, looked one way then the other, then sprang out, pumping his arms and stretching out in the Five-Star Frog Splash--  
  
--which missed as Scion rolled out of the way. Van Dam groaned, holding his ribs as he came up, only to get a second Stunner from a recovered Stone Cold. Austin then went after Scion, who managed to hold his own for a few moments. Soon enough, however, Austin whipped Scion off the ropes, swung a clothesline -- which missed -- then caught the holy man on the rebound with a Lou Thesz Press and piston-like right hands.  
  
The buzzer sounded for the next entrant, and the pulse-pounding music of Team Extreme hit. The fans cheered as Matt Hardy came out, running down to the ring before getting knocked onto his back by a Stone Cold lariat. Matt held his nose, only to get a mudhole stomped in him by the angry Texas Rattlesnake. Scion came up behind Austin and gave him a hard back suplex, directing his attentions on him. Scion saw Austin as the biggest wild card in the match -- as well as the biggest obstacle to overcome at the moment -- so his focus went to him.  
  
RVD hadn't moved much after the missed Five-Star and the Stunner, so nobody thought much about him until he hit Austin with a surprise spinning heel kick. He stood over the Bionic Redneck and reminded him of who he was ("Rob - Van - Dam") before Matt Hardy turned him around and kicked him in the midsection for a Twist of Fate. The high-flyer, however, didn't get that far. Van Dam shoved him into the corner, then gave him a shoulder thrust, a second, did a backflip, then delivered a third.  
  
The next entrant was Matt's brother, Jeff Hardy, who threw off his cap on his way to the ring. Jeff went after RVD -- partly because of his brother and partly because of their feud from the previous month -- and managed to stagger him with a front dropkick to the jaw. Scion caught Van Dam and delivered a back suplex to him as well. He faced the two brothers from North Carolina, who stared back at him. Scion bowed his head in respect. The Hardys nodded back to him.  
  
By this point, however, Austin had gotten back to his feet. He attacked Scion from behind and drove him to the mat, then caught Matt's charge and turned it into a throw over the top. Jeff followed suit and was eliminated shortly thereafter. Now it was back to Stone Cold, Scion, and Rob Van Dam again.  
  
Austin went after RVD again, but the Whole F'n Show tripped him up with a sweep kick in the corner. With the Texan down, Van Dam went to the corner, sprang to the middle rope, hopped up enough that his legs were over the top rope, then dropped. His legs bounced off the top, causing him to pivot around into the Split-Legged Moonsault onto Austin's chest.  
  
Scion then got back up and caught Van Dam, looking for the Fall from Grace again. RVD, however, had it scouted by now. He turned it into a hurricanrana, which caused the Act of God to go flying out of the ring under the bottom rope. Van Dam followed, punching Scion a few times before lifting him for a front suplex onto the barricade. He punched him once to keep him down, then went to the apron, turning to face the crowd. RVD pointed to himself with his thumbs as the fans chanted his initials, then sprang off the apron with the Helicopter Spin Kick.   
  
Austin had recovered by this point, and he came out of the ring to grab Van Dam and roll him back into the ring. He then proceeded to stomp a mudhole in RVD's ass and walk it dry. He was so preoccupied with this that he didn't see Scion slide back into the ring behind him. The Act of God gave him another neckbreaker.   
  
Soon enough, the countdown timer started down from ten again. But when it hit six, the timer changed, so the legend _Y2J_ was over it. It hit zero, and a few moments later, pyros exploded as the male singer screamed, _"Break the walls DOWN!"_ The lights on the ramp came back up to reveal Chris Jericho facing the TitanTron. The charismatic Canadian turned around and jacked up the crowd with a few poses and gestures, then ran down to the ring to get involved.   
  
Five entrants were left by now, and now the number of men in the ring was back up to four, with Rob Van Dam still outnumbered. By this point in the match, however, nobody cared about affiliations. All anybody cared about was surviving till the end to lay claim to that _Wrestlemania_ title shot.   
  
Jericho went after RVD, who was summarily thrown over the top rope after a few cursory hits from Jericho. He then went after Austin, who met him head-on after taking Scion down with a back bodydrop. Austin and Y2J traded blows in the middle of the ring, neither man giving an inch. Austin -- despite having gone full-tilt for the last six minutes -- was able to keep up with the Lionheart, who had the advantage of coming in fresh.   
  
Jericho soon got the upperhand with a snap suplex, but by now Scion was back on his feet. The Act of God caught Y2J with a big boot, then an elbow drop. He stomped him a few times, then turned to face Austin, stopping him with a kick to the midsection and a quick DDT. Then Jericho tripped Scion up and started to turn him over for the Walls of Jericho.   
  
By now, however, the next two minutes were up and the buzzer hit. _"We-e-ell... well, it's the Big Show!"_ The fans cheered as the seven-foot-two, five-hundred-pound giant plodded down the ramp, making the "I want the belt" motion as he went. Jericho dropped Scion and backed up as Big Show stepped over the top rope. The Canadian foolishly tried a direct assault, which Show simply blocked with a palm to the face and a shove. Jericho rolled onto his back, then got to his feet carefully. Austin had gotten back up by this point, as had Scion. The three shared a look, then nodded and charged Big Show as one.   
  
It worked for a moment or two before Show simply roared and threw his arms out, knocking all three down. Big Show went after Austin, grabbing him by the throat and looking to chokeslam him over the top and out of the ring. Scion, however, hit Big Show in the back of the knee with a running forearm. This took the giant down to one knee. Jericho and Scion then started kicking him in the head, trying to wear him down. Show growled as he got back to his feet, knocking Y2J down with a right hand, then lifting Scion in a Gorilla Press. He turned to throw him out of the ring, but Austin came up from behind with a low-blow. Show groaned loudly and dropped Scion, who landed on him.   
  
So it continued for the few minutes. The three would launch a two-on-one or three-on-one assault before Show threw them off, grabbed one of them to eliminate him, only to be stopped by one of the other two. The only break in the action was when entrant #26, Billy Kidman, came out. Big Show grabbed him and gave him the chokeslam out of the ring within Kidman's first ten seconds, only marginally longer than Mark Jindrak.   
  
The Big Show, however, was obviously being worn down by the three-on-one strategy. For all of his size and power, he was no match for three men working as a unit. Before long, however, the temporary truce collapsed as Jericho sucker punched Austin and went for the elimination. Scion put a stop to that, hitting a neckbreaker on Jericho, then upbraiding him for breaking the truce. He quickly remembered the reason for that truce as Big Show grabbed him by the throat. Austin stopped that with a shot to the gut, followed by some right hands.   
  
The buzzer hit again, and the aggressive music played along with the legend _APA Protection_ on the screen. The fans popped again as Faarooq came down to the ring, going to assist in the Campaign to Eliminate the Big Show. The added muscle helped for a minute before Big Show got his second wind. The giant dished out right hands and clotheslines before grabbing Scion and giving him a chokeslam in the middle of the ring. Such was the fury of the Big Show at being ganged up on that he completely forgot about the rules of the match, and thus he spent more time brutalizing anyone he laid his eyes on than eliminating them.   
  
Faarooq was the next to get chokeslammed, while Austin and Faarooq worked at trying to evade Big Show's extensive reach. This couldn't go on forever, however, and soon enough Show managed to knock Austin down with a massive short-arm clothesline. Jericho had meanwhile climbed to the top rope and managed to score a missile dropkick that staggered the giant. Jericho tried to use Big Show's own weight against him and went for a flying jalapeño, but Show caught him by the throat and prepared to eliminate him when Faarooq hit a chop-block to take Show down to one knee again.   
  
The buzzer hit for the next entrant, followed by the CIW bumper. Then scratching turntables played. _"Watch them flee.. watch them flee..."_ The song "It's Goin' Down" by the X-Cutioners and Linkin Park's Mike Shinoba. The word _MAXIM_ flashed on the screen along with a stylized _MXM_ logo. A burly black man with a flat-top hair cut came out on the ramp, wearing black-and-red tights with the MXM logo on the back. Hal Maxim crossed his forearms in an X in front of him, then swung his arms back, stooped and charged down the ramp to join in the fray.   
  
With the odds now five-on-one, Big Show was muscled against the ropes and kept there rather hard by Austin, Scion, and Jericho. Maxim and Faarooq backed up, then charged in unison, hitting Show with a double shoulder block that succeeded in finally eliminating the Big Show. The five WWF or CIWers fell back to take a momentary breather before Maxim and Faarooq -- the two freshest men -- started attacking Jericho and Austin.   
  
This started off another round of every-man-for-himself fighting. Maxim worked over Jericho for a while before he traded off with Faarooq and started pounding on Austin. Scion, the man who had been in the ring longest of the five, sat down in the corner, resting his arms on the bottom rope, taking a breather. Before long, however, Faarooq spotted him and came at him, but Scion had recovered enough to fend him off.   
  
The timer counted down for the last time, as J.R. and Heyman speculated on who it could be. _"Test. This is a test. Test, test, this is a test..."_ The fans were quite surprised to see the six-foot-six ex-bodyguard come down to the ring. His silver pants had a pocket on the back, and from this pocket dangled a black T-Shirt of some kind. He glared at the five men in the ring as he climbed over the top rope. J.R. was surprised. "I thought all of the WWF's guys had come out already."   
  
"They have," Heyman said smugly.   
  
The fans, however, were not quite shocked when Test suddenly gave Faarooq a massive big boot to the face, sending the APA member over the top and out of the ring. They assumed he was just eliminating anyone who happened to be in his way to a title shot. This was not completely untrue. When Test abruptly turned and gave Maxim a big boot as well to eliminate him, the fans seemed curious about the shirt in Test's pocket. Test answered their questions when he pulled it out and put it on. It was a WCW T-Shirt.   
  
"Wait a minute!" J.R. protested.   
  
"Ladies and gentlemen at home," Heyman gloated, "I am proud to announce that the Alliance has a new member, and his name is Test!"   
  
Now it was down to the final four: Scion, Stone Cold, Jericho, and Test. Scion had been in the match the longest, and it showed. In spite of that, he managed to duck a boot from Test and hit a neckbreaker again. Jericho came over to work over Test as well. He stomped him a few times, then with Scion's help got him in the corner. Scion pummeled him in the face before Y2J stopped him to rip the WCW shirt from Test's chest. With the skin thus exposed, the two began laying out knife-edge chops.   
  
Before long, Austin got involved again. He pulled Scion out of the huddle and gave him a Stunner again, then helped Jericho work over Test. Finally, the two of them teamed up to throw Test over the top to the floor. Now it was down to the three. Jericho and Austin stared each other down, before Jericho pointed at Scion. He gestured that they should team up to throw Scion out, and then they could fight it out between themselves. Austin nodded, and together they stalked after the Act of God.   
  
After a couple minutes of double-teaming, Austin hoisted Scion to throw him over the top. As he did so, however, Jericho came up behind and grabbed Austin's legs, swinging him up and over as well, so he was eliminated just seconds after Scion. The fans popped as Jericho fell onto his back in exhaustion, then got up enough so the referee could raise his hand.   
  
"Here is the winner of the 2003 Royal Rumble match, 'Y2J' CHRIS JERICHO!" announced Howard Finkel.   
  
Outside the ring, however, Austin's eyes were fixed on Jericho, staring a hole in him. That had obviously pissed the Rattlesnake off, and if there's anything dangerous in the world, it's a pissed-off Texas Rattlesnake.   
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: It's Monday Night Raw. What fallout will there be from the Rumble? And what of the Hellions and The Storm?  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
May 27, 2002  



	14. Raising Hell

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks immediately after the last one.  
  
Teaser: It's Monday Night Raw. What fallout will there be from the Rumble? And what of the Hellions and The Storm?  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: After **Triple H def. Kurt Angle** to retain the WWF Championship after some interference by Stephanie, the Rumble itself began. The participants were (in order): Python, Hugh Morrus, Chavo Guerrero, Jr., Smoker, Nate Starr, Mike Awesome, Justin Credible, Shawn Stasiak, Christian, The Hurricane, Chris Kanyon, DDP, Bradshaw, Tommy Dreamer, Lance Storm, Soul, RVD, Scion, Mark Jindrak, Raven, Edge, Stone Cold, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Chris Jericho, Big Show, Billy Kidman, Faarooq, Hal Maxim, and Test. The majority of the Rumble was divided by organization. The Alliance wrestlers all did their best to eliminate the WWF or CIW, while the WWF and CIW did the same to the Alliance. Shawn Stasiak had the dubious distinction of lasting the shortest amount of time in the Rumble, as well as being the first eliminated. In order of elimination: Stasiak, Morrus, Python, Nate Starr, Justin Credible, The Hurricane, Mike Awesome, Kanyon, Chavo, Bradshaw, Smoker, DDP, Jindrak, Dreamer, Lance Storm, Raven, Edge, Soul, Matt, Jeff, RVD, Kidman, Big Show, Faarooq, Maxim, Test, Scion, and Stone Cold. The final four were Test, Scion, Austin, and Jericho, with Test revealing his new allegiance to the Alliance by donning a WCW T-Shirt after eliminating Faarooq and Maxim. Test was then eliminated by a brief alliance by Austin and Jericho, and Jericho then suggested that he and Austin eliminate Scion so they can duke it out themselves. When Austin eliminated Scion, however, Jericho quickly threw him out over the top as well to win the Rumble and a WWF Title-shot at Wrestlemania. Austin, needless to say, was not pleased.  
  
**Chapter 14: Raising Hell  
  
Raw: January 27**  
  
The CIW limo pulled into the garage, where Billy Rose and Jenny Black got out. Rose bore a few bruises from his Street Fight with Shane McMahon the previous night, but otherwise looked okay. Jenny consulted her paperwork. "No word yet on what the Alliance is planning."  
  
"That can't be good news," Rose remarked. "It means they're playing their cards closer to their vests, and we can't have that."  
  
"Quite," Jenny replied. "I'll see what I can do." She split off from him and headed down the corridor as Rose went into his private locker room.  
  
The Californian flipped the light switch, but the room remained dark. He squinted up at the ceiling. "Great, I'll have to get someone to replace the bulb." He turned to leave, but the door was shut by someone in the darkened corner. Rose jumped back, and a large pair of hands grabbed him and swung him around until he was thrown into a chair. Rose grunted, then gasped for air as a massive forearm locked under his jaw.  
  
"Billy, dear," came a silky voice from the darkness. "You never call, you never write..."  
  
"Almost makes us think you don't like us anymore," came another voice.  
  
"You're not far wrong," Rose croaked around the chokehold on him.  
  
"Oh, come now," the silky voiced-woman said. "We did so much together..."  
  
"Shut up, Allura," Rose snapped. "I made it clear I don't want anything to do with you."  
  
"Be that as it may," the other woman interjected, "some of your people might not agree with that sentiment."  
  
"Bullshit," the Californian growled. "They all hate your guts."  
  
"Perhaps we were wrong," Allura said. "It's not one of your people, per se, that we were talking about."  
  
Rose blinked and squinted into the darkness. "And what's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"You'll find out," Desire told him. "Ogre, let him go." The chokehold vanished and he sensed a big form moving away.  
  
"Be seeing you, Billy," Allura said by way of goodbye. The door opened and Rose was temporarily blinded by the light from the hallway. He squinted into it, seeing two feminine forms leave, followed by a tall and muscled male and a shorter but immensely fatter male. Then the door shut and the lights came on. Rose rubbed his throat and swore.  
  
* * *  
  
After the opening pyros had stopped and the smoke cleared, the music of the Game struck up. The fans booed as Triple H emerged from the TitanTron, carrying his title belt, accompanied by his wife and brother-in-law. Shane wasn't his usual skippy self, instead limping a bit and bearing the marks of the Street Fight from the night before. Stephanie looked as nasty as usual, her usual arrogant smirk on her face as she stepped into the ring as Triple H did his water-spitting routine. As the music wound down and the lights came back up, Shane was holding the microphone. He was drowned out initially by the chants of _"ASSHOLE! ASSHOLE!"  
  
_"What happened last night--" Shane had to stop as the chants began again. "What happened last night was unspeakable." He scowled and paused, then continued. "What happened last night was a fluke! That's right, a fluke, pure luck!" He turned to Triple H. "At the very least, the Alliance can still lay claim to possessing the WWF Championship, around the waist of my brother-in-law, Triple H!" He glared out at the crowd along with Helmsley as the fans booed again. "But what's worse is what the man who calls himself a Force of Nature did to Booker T last night." The fans now cheered at the mention of The Storm.  
  
"You people make me sick!" Shane snapped. "How can you cheer a mentally unhinged, dangerously psychotic animal like Matthew Skinner, while booing a hip, cool, _five-time _WCW Champion like Booker T?" Shane scowled at the cheering, then smirked. "Well, cheer all you want. Skinner may have won last night, but now Plan B goes into effect. I will personally guarantee you that The Storm will lose his title to the Alliance!"  
  
The fans booed again as Shane passed the microphone to Triple H. The Game shifted his belt on his shoulder as he paced before speaking. "Last night, I proved something to Kurt Angle. I proved that I am indeed the Cerebral Assassin, that I am smarter than he is. I proved that no matter how many gold medals he won with a broken neck, I am stronger than he is. I proved that no matter how good Kurt Angle may be, I am _better _than he is. Because the plain and simple fact is that I am The Game, and I am... that... damn... _good!_"  
  
Hunter adjusted his title again, then continued pacing as he spoke. "Now, as to the man who won the Rumble last night... Chris... Jericho." Helmsley scowled a bit. "I don't think I need to say anything about how much I hate that smart-mouthed little bastard. Jericho thinks he's smart by saying all these clever little things, by making fun of my wife. Well, Jericho, despite all of your bluster, the thing you have to remember is _you cannot beat me. _You have tried, Jericho, and you have failed. So what you need to do now, Jericho, is prove to me, prove to the world, and prove to yourself that you are not just another big-talker." He smirked and added, "As the saying goes, you can talk the talk, but now you gotta walk the walk. You've got two months to prove it, jerky, and then we will meet at _Wrestlemania_, and it will be time... to play... _The Game._"  
  
The trio in the ring then scowled again as the Y2J timer appeared on the TitanTron. As it hit zero and the music struck up, the lights went out and pyros exploded on the stage. The lights came back up on the back of Chris Jericho, who was wearing his _Jerichol _shirt. He held a microphone in one hand. He spoke into it. "Welcome to... _Raw... is... JERICHO!_" He turned around and smirked at the sneering Stephanie and Hunter, then said, "Triple H, I think I speak for every single Jericholic in this arena when I tell you to please _SHUT THE HELL UP!_"  
  
Jericho paced on the ramp. "So I'm just a big-talker, huh? If I'm such a big talker, Hunter, how come in each of our matches together, you come out of them bloodied and battered and barely able to stand on your own two feet? If you don't see me as much of a threat, how come I'm always able to get under your skin with just words? Face it, Hunter, you call yourself the Cerebral Assassin, but I can play mind games with the best of them." Y2J then looked up with a little sneer of his own. "I'm focused now, Hunter. The object of my focus is the WWF Title, and I have now got myself a guaranteed title-shot. Nobody's going to take that away from me, especially not you jackasses."  
  
By this point, Jericho had worked his way into the ring. Stephanie had backed all the way out of it as her archnemesis got closer, while Shane circled around him. Triple H just stood there, glaring a hole in his soon-to-be challenger. But all that tension went elsewhere as the sound of shattering glass filled the arena. The fans stood up in unison and cheered loudly as Stone Cold Steve Austin stalked down the ramp. He hit the ring, glared first at Triple H, then at Jericho, before climbing up on the turnbuckles to raise his fists in the air. He stepped down, walking between the two men, glaring first at one, then the other, before repeating his pose on the second corner. He then did the same in the other two corners before walking up to Triple H. He stared at him, then took the microphone from him.  
  
Stone Cold remained staring into Triple H's eyes before raising the mike to speak. "You and me both know where each other stands. I hate yer stinkin' guts, an' you hate mine. You look at me so much as cross-eyed and I'll stomp a mudhole in your ass, and that's all I got to say about that!" He then turned to his left and faced Jericho. "Now, I got some stuff to say about you. You're the man that eliminated me from the Royal Rumble. But that's not all you did, oh no. What you did is you look at me and say to me, 'Hey, Stone Cold!' And I said, 'What?' And you said, 'Let's you and me team up and throw this son-of-a-bitch Scion out of the ring so we can fight it out between the two of us.' So I say, 'Hell Yeah,' and go to throw that som'bitch outta the ring.  
  
"But then whaddaya do when I throw him outta the ring?" Austin took a step forward and got right in Jericho's face. "Ya grab me by the legs and ya toss me up an' over the top. Now part of me, it says, 'That guy's one smart little bastard, playing a little trick on ol' Stone Cold.' But then I got to thinkin', and you know ol' Stone Cold doesn't do any thinkin' with a dry mouth. And then I thought, 'I'm gonna have to get that sorry-ass little som'bitch back for stabbing Stone Cold Steve Austin in the back!"  
  
The fans cheered at that. Triple H backed away a bit into the corner to watch the sparks fly. Shane joined him there and pantomimed jumping the two of them. Helmsley shook his head and motioned for him to wait. Jericho hadn't said anything while Austin was speaking. The Rattlesnake continued. "Now, since I decided to kick your ass, I decided to follow that ol' sayin', 'know thy enemy.' So I started readin' up on ya." He took a step back from Jericho as though giving him a once-over. "Your name is Chris Jericho." He paused, then tilted his head. "What? Chris Jericho. What? Y2J? What? What's that supposed to mean? Are you some sorta computer virus? Should I get Norton AntiVirus? McAfee VirusScan? What?" He took a step to the left as though still giving him an inspection. "You call yourself the Ayatollah of Rock-and-Rollah? What? What's that mean, you're some kinda Shah? Some kinda Shiek? Are you from Iran? What?"  
  
Now Austin stepped back into Jericho's face. "I'll tell you something right here, you som'bitch, you picked the wrong man to piss off last night when you stabbed me in the back. What makes you even think you're gonna make it to _Wrestlemania _with Stone Cold Steve Austin breathin' down yer neck?" He didn't let Jericho answer, however, as he turned to the crowd. "If you want Stone Cold Steve Austin to open up a can of whup-ass on this back-stabbing little punk right now, gimme a Hell Yeah!" The fans shouted _"Hell Yeah!" _which was colored by a shrill little voice from ringside as Stephanie added her own voice to the mix.  
  
Before Austin could strike, however, the TitanTron lit up. _"We... are... ALIVE!" _came the sound of the Offspring, replaced then by the music of the Union Underground. _"How long? How long? How long? How long? - I said how long? I said how long? I said how long? Until you crack..." _The fans started cheering as Billy Rose came quickly down the ramp, wearing his CIW T-Shirt under his red over-shirt. He slid into the ring and separated Jericho and Austin, glaring briefly at Shane and Triple H. He took the mike from where Austin had dropped it. "Hold on a sec, hold on," Rose said. "Don't you see what you're doing here? You're playing directly into their hands here." He gestured at the three Alliance ringleaders. "This is exactly what they want, having the WWF try to tear itself apart. Now I dunno about you, but I do not want Horrible Heyman and the Sinister Siblings to have the last laugh here."  
  
The Californian pushed Austin back a bit as he moved for Jericho, then said, "Hey, I can understand why you're pissed off at him. I would be, too, in your shoes, but lemme just ask, you want a shot at Jericho, Austin?" Rose held the mike out for him to talk into it.  
  
Stone Cold said two words: "Hell Yeah."  
  
"And Jericho, you don't have any problems with fighting Austin? You'd take him on, one-on-one?"  
  
Jericho smirked, then said into his own microphone, looking straight at Austin. "Hell Yeah."  
  
Rose smiled. "Then it's easy! Austin, if you want a shot at Jericho, all you have to do is..." He grinned, then pointed at the lounging Triple H in the corner, "...become WWF Champion."  
  
Triple H and Shane both stood up straight at that proclamation, then quickly vacated the ring as Jericho and Austin both rushed them. The trio retreated up the ramp as Stone Cold and Y2J advanced to the ropes, talking trash at them. Rose walked up behind them, smirking triumphantly at Shane and Helmsley, tapping his forehead, as if to say, 'I'm smarter than you.'  
  
* * *  
  
When Rose returned backstage, he was soon found by Vince McMahon and Jenny Black. The billionaire was beaming, "Billy, my God, that was brilliant. You managed to defuse that powder keg and turn the tables on those ungrateful children of mine."  
  
Rose smiled wanly, "Thanks, Vince," he said a bit dully.  
  
Vince frowned. "Something the matter?"  
  
Rose smiled again. It seemed strained. "Just a little bit of the problems of running an organization coming back to haunt me, is all."  
  
Vince nods, sighing a bit. "I can relate to that. Still, good work out there."  
  
Rose smiled again, a bit more naturally. "I don't call myself the Mental Elite for nothing."  
  
As McMahon left, Rose sighed and headed back to his room with Jenny. She looked at him. "They showed up, didn't they?"  
  
He glanced at her. "Am I that transparent?"  
  
Jenny sighed. "I was your girlfriend for five years, Billy. I'd like to think I know you well enough for that."  
  
"My girlfriend up until last year," he pointed out. "I still don't get why you're even going along with this."  
  
"If things work out here," Jenny replied, "I'd like to think that I could get a job in the WWF."  
  
"Still ticked off at me, then."  
  
"Oh, yeah." She read some of the papers in her hand, then looked up. "Though if I had to choose between a bastard like you and a lecherous old fart like Vincent K. McMahon, I'd choose the bastard any day."  
  
* * *  
  
"The following contest is scheduled for one fall." _"Test. This is a Test. Test, test, this is a Test." _The fans booed a bit as Test emerged, then booed louder as they saw he was sporting WCW colors. "Introducing first, representing the Alliance, from Toronto, Canada, weighing in at 282 pounds... TEST!"  
  
"I still can't believe this man," J.R. said. "He had such a bright future in the WWF until now."  
  
"For those of you at home who don't know what my broadcast colleague is talking about," Paul Heyman said, "let me, on behalf of the Alliance, take you back to last night at the Royal Rumble." The TitanTron continued playing Test's music while showing clips from the Rumble. "Test had the fortune of drawing number 30, and then he took out both Faarooq and CIW's Maxim with a ferocious boot to the face, before revealing to one and all that he had joined the Alliance!"  
  
Test paced in the ring, menacing WWF referee Jack Doan, then turned to face the TitanTron as his music trailed off. _"We... are... ALIVE!" _The Offspring was replaced by scratching rap music by the X-Cutioners. _"Watch them flee... watch them flee... rap up... watch them flee hip-hop hits... and you do it like this..." _The burly form of Hal Maxim came out on the stage, wearing dark tights with his 'MXM' logo on the back. He raised his fists in front of him and crossed his forearms in an X (but not like the DX sign), then charged down the ramp. "And his opponent, representing CIW, from Fort Worth, Texas, weighing in at 270 pounds... HAL MAXIM!"  
  
Maxim slid into the ring and was immediately besieged upon by Test, who started laying down right hands. After several attacks, Maxim managed to duck under a swing and hit a stiff back elbow to Test's temple. The Canadian staggered and the CIWer moved in to start pounding on the defector. He whipped him off the ropes and caught him with a stiff clothesline. Test staggered back into the corner, where Maxim moved in for the kill. First, the Texan grabbed the collar of Test's WCW T-Shirt and ripped it downward, exposing his bare chest. Maxim thumped Test's chest with an open-handed slap to the sternum, then a second. As Test winced and cringed from the attack, Maxim pushed his face back up. "Turn on the Fed, will you? Fucking traitor." He gave him a hard knife-edge chop, then grabbed his forearm to whip him across the ring. As he came in for the follow-up, however, Test blocked with an elbow, then hit a strong lariat coming out of the corner.  
  
Next Test started stomping on the Texan CIWer and pressing his boot against his jaw, choking him and stretching his neck back. Referee Doan pulled him back and lectured him, only to have to duck and jump back as Test faked a swing at him. In that momentary breather, Maxim had pulled himself into a crouch in the corner, apparently winded from the attack. As Test turned back to him, however, Maxim lunged out and hit a body tackle that took the tall Canadian down, not unlike a spinebuster. Maxim hit a few right hands after the tackle, then stood back up, holding Test's feet under his arms. He cinched up the hold, then fell backwards, catapulting Test into the corner -- and unfortunately, into Jack Doan as well.  
  
Doan crumpled to the mat as Test staggered away. Maxim dropped back into a football crouch, then kicked the traitor in the stomach as he turned around. He hooked his arms under Test's arms from behind, not unlike a Pedigree, but without putting Test's head between his knees. He hefted Test up and swung his legs up, then dropped him in a deadly piledriver, which J.R. identified as the "Overdriver" from the notes given him by Billy Rose.  
  
Maxim covered, but Doan was still unconscious. The fans chanted _one, two, three, _along with the black man's nodding head, but then they booed as they realized the referee was out. Maxim swore and got up, going over to Doan. He prodded him with his foot, then grabbed him by the back of his shirt, pulling him up, then dropping him. This jostling roused Doan to come to his senses. Maxim turned around to go after Test, but the Canadian was back on his feet by now. All at once, Test's massive big boot finisher smashed into his face, knocking him to the mat. Test grabbed the leg and pressed down on his shoulders. 1... 2... 3. The fans booed as Test's music played and the defector raised his arms victoriously. At ringside, Heyman was saying, "Yes! What a great start for Test's role in the Alliance! First drawing number thirty in the Royal Rumble and eliminating two people to become one of the final four, then handily defeating CIW's Hal Maxim with his mastery of Tai Kwan Leep -- with the monstrous Boot to the Head!"  
  
Test smirked as he backed up the ramp, wiping off his hands as he went. In the ring, Doan was checking on Maxim, who was sitting up on his elbow, holding his face where the Boot to the Head had connected.  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, Matthew Skinner was arriving in the arena, draping his WCW Championship belt over his shoulder as he carried his duffel bag. He stopped short and glowered as he was approached by Shane and Stephanie. For her part, the Billion-Dollar Princess was keeping her distance from the Force of Nature, unconsciously holding her face where he'd struck her last week. Shane was smiling, and not in a pleasant way. "Hello, Mr. Skinner."  
  
"What the fuck do you want?" The Storm asked, dropping his duffel and swinging his belt off his shoulder.  
  
"Just to let you know this," Shane-O Mac replied. He leaned forward and spread his hands. "You've got a rematch against Booker T tonight."  
  
"No, I don't," Skinner said bluntly.  
  
Shane blinked. "I beg your pardon?"  
  
"After last night," The Storm said, "I have beaten Booker T, the former one-two-three-four-_five-time _WCW Champion--" He ticked off the numbers on his fingers and then raised his palm to Shane's face before withdrawing it, then counting off again: "--one-two-_three times._ Therefore, he no longer has any claim to being #1 Contender. And considering that you're _numero uno _on my Things to Bash the Living Crap Out Of List, I'd rethink any ideas you have for tonight, Shane-O. If you still want me to defend my title, that's just fine. But you'd better come up with someone other than Sucka T to fight me."  
  
Shane frowned, wisely backing up a step as The Storm folded his title belt into a more easily swung form, as though he were planning to use it as a weapon. Then the Owner of WCW smiled. "Okay, Storm, you've got yourself a deal. You won't fight Booker, but you will defend your title tonight."  
  
"Fine," Skinner said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to be somewhere--_uhhh!_" That last was a sudden grunt as the air was driven from his lungs. The Storm was folded in half as out of nowhere, Rhyno Gored him into the wall. He slid to the floor, groaning and holding his ribs as the Man-Beast stood up, sneering.  
  
"See you later, Storm," Shane called as he and Stephanie left with Rhyno in tow.  
  
"Motherfuckers..." The Storm coughed.  
  
* * *  
  
From a darkened room somewhere, the Hellions were watching the show on TV. Ogre and Orca just watched and absorbed, while the Hell's Belles frowned a bit. Desire spoke. "It would seem he's already in trouble, Allura, are you sure--"  
  
"I'm sure," Allura replied. "It will not take long, but Matthew Skinner will soon fall right into our hands."  
  
Desire laughed. "And then, the Alliance, CIW, and even the WWF will know what Agony is."  
  
* * *  
  
The Storm left the trainer's room after getting his ribs taped. The bandages were underneath his T-Shirt, but he still rubbed his abdomen. "Goddamn Rhyno..."  
  
"Night's not over yet, Skinner!" came DDP's voice. The Force of Nature turned around, just as a two-by-four swung into his forehead, snapping in two pieces, and drawing blood. The Jersey native laughed and made the sign of the diamond before leaving. "Feel the Bang!" he taunted.  
  
The Storm growled as he got back up, putting a hand to his bloody forehead. He sucked in a hissing breath, as if concentrating his rage. He brought his bloody forefinger and thumb down over his eyes, leaving two bloody streaks down his face. He glared coldly through his sunglasses as he stalked toward the ring. "Feel the Bang? Get ready to feel pain and suffering, bastards..."  
  
* * *  
  
Lightning pyros exploded on the stage, as Cold Steel fired up. _"I'm a Force of Nature, I'm outta control! I live in the lightning, let the thunder roll! I kill the sunshine, bring on the rain! I am The Storm, and I'll bring you the pain!" _The Storm emerged on the stage, face still bloody and with the two streaks on his face. He threw off his sunglasses on his way down to the ring, tossing his belt into the ring as he stomped up the steps and between the ropes. "The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and is for the WCW Championship! Introducing first, representing the World Wrestling Federation... from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 240 pounds... he is the WCW Champion... Matthew Skinner... "THE STORM!""  
  
The Storm paced in the ring, reclaiming his belt and holding it on his shoulder before handing it to Alliance referee Charles Robinson. Robinson raised the belt in the air before putting it in the corner. Skinner continued to pace, glaring coldly at the ramp, blood drying on his face.  
  
Cold Steel faded out. _"BANG! Yo, it's me, it's me, it's D.D.P.!" _Rock music played as Diamond Dallas Page came out on the ramp, wearing his airbrushed _BANG MAN _vest. He sneered at the fans, then raised his hands in the air, forming a diamond between his thumbs and forefingers. He snapped it down as pyros exploded behind him. "And his opponent, representing the Alliance... from the Jersey Shore, weighing in at 235 pounds... DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE!"  
  
Page ran down to the ring, only to run straight into one pissed off Force of Nature. The Storm attacked him savagely, scarcely letting him get to his feet as he kicked, stomped, slapped, punched, and generally starting beating the living snot out of DDP. Robinson tried to pull him back, only to find himself woefully unprepared for the ferocity of Matthew Skinner's onslaught. He wasn't knocked down, just unable to separate the two.  
  
The Storm grabbed DDP's vest and swung him around, shoulder-first into the turnbuckle. He staggered back out, and the fans gave a surprised _"OHHH!" _as Skinner grabbed him in a half-nelson, then snarled as he whipped back in a vicious snap suplex, dropping Page on his head. Robinson was still trying to maintain order as The Storm started pounding Page in the neck with his forearm. Finally, Skinner stood up and glared at Robinson, and such was the intensity and rage in his eyes that the referee backed away.  
  
Turning back to Page, The Storm pulled him up by his vest and swung him into the turnbuckle again. DDP groaned, fighting to maintain consciousness from the pain in his shoulder and that vicious half-nelson snap suplex. He yelled in pain as Skinner gave him a neckbreaker, then scrambled to the ropes and the outside as his opponent started to look for the Necksnapper.  
  
The Storm didn't let him get away that easily. He followed and threw Page into the steel post, then hurled him across the announce table. J.R. and Heyman both pulled back in surprise as Skinner elbowed Page's neck, then grabbed the ring bell. Robinson came to the outside to try to maintain control and took the bell away from him. The Storm rounded on him, scowling, then grabbed his title belt from the timekeeper. Robinson tried to take that away as well, but The Storm snarled and swung, bashing Page in the face, bloodying it. Robinson signalled for the bell.  
  
The Storm hit Page a second time, then a third, bloodying him further. "Here is your winner as the result of a disqualification... DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE! However, still the WCW Champion... THE STORM!"  
  
The fans booed a bit at the DQ finish, but cheered as they realized The Storm was still champion. But then they started clamoring as Skinner continued brutalizing Page with the title belt, which was now stained a bit with the Jersey native's blood. Robinson finally managed to pull him away. The Storm breathed heavily, clutching his title to himself. Then he wobbled a bit, as though dizzy or having a headache. He then rubbed his eyes and ran his hand down his face, smearing away the bloody streaks on his face.  
  
He blinked as he looked at the nigh-unconscious Page, who was dripping blood all over the announce table. He stared at him, then at his title belt. The Storm seemed a bit shocked, face slack. He backed away, then headed up the ramp as Cold Steel played around him. EMTs hurried past him down the ramp as he left. His own words echoed in his head. _Get ready to feel pain and suffering...  
  
What am I doing? _he wondered to himself as he left up the ramp.  
  
* * *  
  
Allura laughed softly. "You see? All Matthew needs are a few nudges in the right direction and he'll be fully prepared to return to the fold."  
  
"I understand now." Desire rose from her seat. "We'd best be moving if we want to be near for the next show."  
  
"Yes," the other Belle replied. "Boys, get our things. We're leaving."  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: The Storm continues his slow descent into madness as tensions rise between Stone Cold and Chris Jericho. How long can Billy Rose continue to play peacemaster?  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
June 2, 2002


	15. Darkness Within

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Thursday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: The Storm continues his slow descent into madness as tensions rise between Stone Cold and Chris Jericho. How long can Billy Rose continue to play peacemaker?  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: Arriving at the arena, Billy Rose is accosted in his dressing room in the dark by the Hellions, who imply that they will return soon, and that he can't stop them. At the top of the show, Shane, Stephanie, and Triple H come out to bitch about their losses last night, while Shane swears that they will now go into "Plan B" to get the WCW Title off of The Storm. Triple H then talked about how he proved he was that damn good against Kurt Angle the previous night before turning his attention to Chris Jericho, the winner of the Rumble. The Game talked about how Jericho had never beaten him, and that he is just a big-talker. He says Jericho has two months to prove otherwise. Jericho then came out and said he can play mind games with the best of them, and that he always manages to get under Triple H's skin. Before long, Stone Cold came out and got in both men's faces. He told Triple H point blank he hated him, then turned to Jericho, dressing him down for back-stabbing him at the end of the Rumble, while giving the "Counter-Invasion" debut of "What?" Just as Jericho and Austin were about to come to blows, Billy Rose came out and said this was just what the Alliance wanted, in-fighting in the WWF. After asking both men if they wanted to go at each other (which they did), Rose pointed out the best way for them to both get what they want is for Austin to become WWF Champion. This prompted Triple H and the McMahon Siblings to quickly retreat. Backstage, Rose met briefly with Vince then spoke with Jenny Black. **Test def. Hal Maxim **with the Big Boot to cement his defection to the Alliance. Backstage again, The Storm arrived and was immediately confronted by Shane and Stephanie. The Storm promptly denied Shane's order to give Booker T a rematch, citing the fact that he'd defeated Booker three times already. Shane then said he'd defend the title anyway, which The Storm accepted -- right before being Gored by Rhyno out of nowhere. Later on, after being attended to by the trainer, he was attacked by DDP with a 2x4, bloodying him and driving him into a rage. "Feel the Bang? Get ready to feel pain and suffering," was The Storm's growl as he went to the ring to fight DDP to defend his title. **DDP def.**** The Storm via Disqualification**, and got literally no offense in as The Storm unleashed his fury on him, nearly knocking him out with a vicious half-nelson snap suplex before taking him outside and brutalizing him on the announce table, busting him open with his title belt. The Storm seemed to come out of a stupor and seemed shocked at his own actions. Elsewhere, meanwhile, the Hellions continue to lurk.  
  
FYI: List of Champions: **WWF **- Triple H; **Intercontinental **- Edge; **European **- Eddie Guerrero; **Hardcore **- Rob Van Dam; **Light-Heavyweight** - X-Pac; **WWF Tag Team** - Dudley Boyz; **Women's** - Rain; **WCW **- The Storm; **U.S.** - Kanyon; **Cruiserweight **- Billy Kidman; **WCW Tag Team** - Undertaker & Kane  
  
**Chapter 15: Darkness Within  
  
Smackdown: January 30**  
  
As the opening pyros died out and the smoke cleared, the fans started cheering again as some techno-rock music played, heralding the arrival of Rain. She walked out in a _I am a Force of Nature _T-Shirt and dark flare pants. She came down to the ring and held her title in the air. "The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the World Wrestling Federation Women's Championship!" Tony Chimel announced. "Introducing first, representing the WWF, from Dallas, Texas... the World Wrestling Federation Women's Champion... RAIN!"  
  
Upbeat dance music played as Stacy Keibler came down to the ring, accompanied by her WCW diva cohort, Torrie Wilson. "And her opponent, representing the Alliance, from Baltimore, Maryland, being accompanied by Torrie Wilson... STACY KEIBLER!"  
  
Stacy flashed her impressive set of legs to the fans as she entered the ring, smugly strutting in a circle as Rain removed her sunglasses and shook out her arms. Stacy abruptly looked a tad nervous about locking up with a veteran wrestler like Rain, but finally did so. Rain promptly ground in a headlock. Stacy tried to free herself, but the Texan woman had the advantage.  
  
Finally, Stacy managed to shove Rain off with the use of the ropes, only to get knocked down by a shoulder block. Rain ran off the ropes and knocked the WCW diva down again with a forearm. She stomped her in the head a few times to keep her down, then pulled her up and attempted to whip her into the ropes. Stacy responded to this by doing a cartwheel and ending up on her feet, facing Rain. She laughed. Rain stared at her, then charged.  
  
Stacy quickly escaped the ring and ran around it as Rain gave chase. As they reached the other side of the ring, Stacy slid in, distracting the referee, and allowing Torrie -- who had been lying in wait -- to clothesline Rain. The blond woman rolled Rain into the ring for Stacy, who covered for a two-count.  
  
Stacy grabbed her by the hair and started beating her head against the mat, but Rain kicked her knee up into Stacy's back and knocked her into the turnbuckle. Rain pulled her back up, then hitched herself to the second rope, spinning Stacy around to plant her in a Tornado DDT. Rain went for the pin, but Torrie snuck Stacy's foot onto the rope. The referee stopped the count at two when he spotted it, but the Texan woman had seen Torrie. She slid out of the ring and gave chase to Torrie, who fled into the ring and across it, drawing Rain into another ambush, this time by Stacy, who clotheslined her. Stacy covered and again got a two count.  
  
Rain got back up and ducked under a swing by Stacy, hooking her into a Downdraft. As she went for the cover, however, Torrie gave up all pretense of fairness and pulled Rain out of the ring, slapping her in the jaw. The dark-haried woman, of course, was made of sterner stuff than that and decked Torrie with a right hand, but by this point, the referee had called for the bell and disqualified Stacy for outside interference.  
  
Stacy grabbed Rain by the hair and dragged her into the ring through the ropes, throwing her to the mat for some stomping. Rain looked ready to get back up, but then Torrie got back in and joined her cohort. The fans started cheering as Ivory, wearing black as she was no longer a RTC member, ran out. The crowd assumed she was there to help Rain, but she was mistaken. Ivory pushed Stacy and Torrie back as Rain got up unsteadily, but then Ivory grabbed her by the head and slammed her face-first to the canvas in the Poison Ivory.  
  
As Ivory and the WCW divas celebrated, Shane McMahon came out, accompanied by Rhyno and Test. The Boy Wonder directed them into the ring. Rhyno hit a monstrous short-arm clothesline on the defenseless Rain, then held her up to get Test's enormous Boot to the Head. The fans were booing heavily as the six Alliance members raised their hands in victory over Rain's unmoving form.  
  
Then the boos turned to cheers as The Storm came barreling down the ramp, carrying his ugly-stick. The six scattered as he swung the baseball bat viciously, managing to strike Test and send him out of the ring. After the ring was emptied, he turned back to Rain and knelt to check on her. "Claire, come on, baby, talk to me. You okay?"  
  
Then he grew aware of a rising yell from the crowd. With a chill going down his back, he stood and turned around to see Rhyno charging across the ring. The Man-Beast crashed into him with The Gore, folding him in half on top of Rain. The fans shouted and booed heavily as Rhyno stood up, thumping his chest, then raising his arms in the air. "Who's da man?!" he roared as he rolled out of the ring, retreating up the ramp as referees and officials flooded the ring.  
  
Skinner was helped to his feet, clutching his already injured ribs -- which Rhyno had Gored just three days earlier -- as they brought out a gurney for Rain -- who, while breathing, wasn't moving. Everyone's attention was diverted, however, when Shane McMahon's voice was heard. The young WCW Owner had a microphone and stood flanked by Test and Rhyno on the top of the ramp. "Hey, Skinner, don't get too comfortable! Later tonight, you have to defend your title against the newest member of the Alliance -- Test!" The traitorous Canadian smirked and raised his fists in the air. The fans booed as "Brand New Money" started playing, The Storm glaring hatefully up the ramp.  
  
* * *  
  
As the trainers checked on The Storm's injuries, Billy Rose walked into the room. "I just heard what happened. You okay, man?"  
  
"Get the fuck outta here!!" Skinner snapped at him. He winced as the trainers lifted his left arm over his head and leaned him to the right.  
  
"Look, I apologized for what I put you through," the CIW mastermind said, but before he could go on, the Force of Nature cut him off.  
  
"No! You never apologized for what happened in CIW, and you never apologized for what you've done here. And I ain't gonna listen to any damn apology from you," he growled. He sucked in a pained breath as the trainers let him straighten his body out, then begin wrapping his scarred torso in bandages. "So get the fuck outta here."  
  
Rose sighed and shook his head. "Fine. I won't bother to apologize now, then. But I just thought you should know that--"  
  
"I said get the fuck outta here," he muttered.  
  
"Skinner, please, the Hel--"  
  
"_GET OUT!_" he roared, nearly leaping off the table to go after him. Rose backed out of the doorway, sighed and shook his head before leaving.  
  
* * *  
  
Victor E. was adjusting his wrist tape as he headed down the hallways toward the ring, but as he did so, he came across none other than Viper. The former CIW Champion had a passing amount of respect for the masked Brit, but he wasn't thinking about that as he went up to him. Viper turned to face him. "What do you want?"  
  
"I got some things to say to you," Victor said.  
  
"Well, I don't have anything to say to you, so if you'll excuse me." Viper turned to leave, but the CIWer blocked his path with his arm.  
  
"Stay right there," Victor growled. Viper turned to face him, a scowl on his own face. "Now, I wasn't there, but I understand you had a few words to say to Smoker last Monday night."  
  
"What about it?"  
  
"It wasn't what you said to him so much as what you said to all of us," Victor replied. "And by us, I mean CIW. You called us a bunch of jobbers?"  
  
"Yeah," Viper sneered. "That's what you are, aren't you?"  
  
Victor had a couple of inches in height on the masked wrestler, and here he used it. "Look, you tea-drinking bastard, just because we didn't wrestle in the Big Two or the Great Pretender from Philadelphia doesn't mean we're a bunch of jobbers. The fact is, aside from one or two of us, we've won damn near every one of our matches."  
  
"Is that supposed to impress me?" Viper snapped. "So you won a few matches, big fucking deal."  
  
"Don't get all pissy with me, boy," the Californian said. "You might want to be a bit more grateful to CIW for backing up the Fed, even if it didn't ask for it. We're all on the same side."  
  
"Like I told your fellow jobbers," the British man replied curtly, "I'm not on anybody's side."  
  
"Well at least we picked a side," Victor spat, before turning and stalking down the hall.  
  
* * *  
  
"The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the WCW U.S. Championship!" _"Who betta than Kanyon?"_Campy music struck up as the fans jeered the annoying Kanyon, who strutted down the ramp in his _Alliance MVP _T-Shirt. He spun in a circle, gesturing to the gold around his waist as he came to the ring. He pulled the title from his waist and raised it happily in the air before pulling his shirt off. He tossed it out to the fans -- and some smart alleck in the front row threw it back at him. "Introducing first, representing the Alliance, he is the U.S. Champion... KANYON!"  
  
_"__We... are... ALIVE!" _The triumphant horn music started playing as Victor E came out, walking down to ringside wearing his CIW T-Shirt. "And his opponent, representing CIW, from San Diego, California, weighing in at 255 pounds... VICTOR E!" He went along to the side of the ring and picked up Kanyon's T-Shirt, which the fans had thrown back. He pulled off his own T-Shirt, then turned to the fans. He held up Kanyon's shirt to boos, then his own, to cheers. Victor threw the CIW shirt out to the crowd, then held the WCWer's shirt out in front of him. He spat on it, then threw it into his face. Kanyon started to pull it off, but the distraction allowed Victor to pull him from the ring and throw him into the barricade back-first.  
  
The CIWer stepped back, then snap kicked Kanyon in the ribs, crumpling him against the barrier. Victor climbed up onto the apron and shouted to the crowd, "Who betta than Kanyon?" He raised his hands in the air, flashing a V-for-victory sign. "Victor E, baby!" The fans popped as Victor then jumped off the apron with a double sledge to Kanyon's forehead. Finally, the last CIW Champion rolled him into the ring to officially start the match.  
  
Victor continued his assault, putting his focus on the Jersey native's neck and ribs. Michael Cole at ringside speculated that the Californian was softening Kanyon up for the Victory Slam or the Jaws of Defeat. At any rate, Kanyon was increasingly on the defensive, before he managed to grab Victor's tights and throw him face-first into the second turnbuckle. This enabled Kanyon to rally and start showing why he was WCW's "Innovator of Offense." The beating continued until Kanyon climbed to the top, positioning Victor for the super Rocker Drop.  
  
Victor, however, had recovered enough to react to this. He grabbed Kanyon's arm and his leg, then bealed him out into the ring hard. The self-proclaimed MVP convulsed as he hit the mat, while Victor stalked him from behind. Holding his head with one hand, Kanyon backed toward the CIWer, who grabbed him in the pumphandle position before swinging him onto his shoulders. Once up there, Victor positioned him across his back, then turned in a circle before spinning Kanyon out into a flapjack in the Victory Slam. He then turned Kanyon onto his stomach and put him into a deathlock before leaning forward and putting on an STF in the Jaws of Defeat submission. The Alliance member screamed in pain and pounded the mat. The referee called for the bell. "Here is your winner, and the _new _WCW U.S. Champion... VICTOR E!"  
  
* * *  
  
The Undertaker was walking the halls backstage, his WCW Tag title belt draped over his shoulder with the rest of his gear. He paused as he looked down an interconnecting hall to see Matthew Skinner pacing angrily. His WCW Championship was lying on a stack of shipping pallets as The Storm silently fumed over what had happened to his girlfriend earlier that night.  
  
"We should be very careful," a grave voice said behind `Taker. The Dead Man turned around in surprise to see the hooded figure of Scion perched on a metal crate, watching The Storm. The holy man continued. "Matthew is in a dangerous place right now."  
  
"What the hell you talkin' about?" Taker said. "He's always like that."  
  
Scion shook his head. "No, he isn't. You know he isn't normally this frustrated, this angry. You know what he's going through, Mark."  
  
Taker blinked, then glowered at him. "What in the hell did you just call me?"  
  
"You know what I called you," the mysterious figure replied. "We have met before, in that place between the Light and the Darkness."  
  
Now the Dead Man took a step back to look at Scion more closely. Scion raised his head slightly, throwing more of his face into light. Taker stared at him, then nodded. "I know you. I saw you when I turned back from the Darkside."  
  
Scion nodded gravely. "And you know how dangerous the Darkside is, you, who used to command the Ministry of Darkness, you who were once one of the Darkside's pawns."  
  
"Pawns? Hell, I wasn't any pawn. I was the _Lord _of Darkness."  
  
"Do not delude yourself," the religious man said curtly. "Darkness bends to no one's will. It lets you believe so as it slowly twists and corrupts your very soul. You were lucky to have escaped its clutches, Undertaker. But Matthew has also fallen prey to the Darkside once before, and he very nearly did not come back."  
  
Now Taker frowned and glanced back at Skinner, who had stopped pacing to polish some of the remaining stains of DDP's blood from his belt. The Dead Man turned back to Scion. "You telling me he rode the Darkside too?"  
  
"More than that," Scion said. "Back in CIW, Billy Rose wanted to have Matthew under his control through any means he could get. He cut a deal with the forces of Darkness to have him subverted. But those who traffic in the shadows cannot be trusted. The Hellions, as they called themselves, instead cut a deal with Matthew, offering him both the CIW Championship and a chance to get at Mr. Rose, if only he would do their bidding. And so he agreed.  
  
"What happened next was a reign of terror that cowed everyone in the company for months before Matthew -- now calling himself Agony -- recaptured the title. The Hellions then presented Mr. Rose his "subverted" Matthew Skinner, but they forgot the deal they had made with Matthew. As soon as he was brought before him, Matthew shook off the Hellions' control and attacked Mr. Rose. Fortunately for all of us, he did not submit to the Darkness ever again, but he courts it now."  
  
Taker felt an involuntary shiver down his spine. "I do know how the Darkside works, Scion," he told the hooded man, "and I know this: after that first subversion, it becomes easier each time. There've been times when I've been tempted to turn to the Darkside for power, and it took everything I got in my cold, dead soul to keep from doing so."  
  
Scion nodded again. "Then you know the conflict raging inside Matthew. He's taken it upon himself to restore honor to the WCW Championship, and the stress of that task he's given himself -- coupled with the fact that the Alliance is doing everything in its power to take it away from him -- is slowly eating away at him. You saw how vicious he was recently. He will do anything he can to hold onto that title, and that may include turning to the Hellions again."  
  
Now Scion finally stood up. He wasn't nearly as tall as Taker, but he seemed to look him eye-to-eye as he spoke again. "Take my word for it, Mark: if Matthew Skinner turns into Agony again, then everyone -- even you, Dead Man -- is in danger."  
  
As Scion turned and started to leave, Taker scoffed slightly. "You can't hurt the dead."  
  
Scion did not even stop. "You're wrong."  
  
* * *  
  
During The Storm's title defense against Test, Shane McMahon was at ringside to try and assure a victory for the Alliance. As a result, every time the Force of Nature managed to get the tall Canadian down for a pinfall, Shane either distracted the ref or snuck Test's foot onto the ropes, or jostled Skinner so the referee broke the count. Making things more complicated was the fact that the referee was Nick Patrick, a man who was biased even when he hadn't been paid off.  
  
The deck was heavily stacked against Matthew Skinner, who was showing that same vicious, sadistic streak he'd shown last Monday. At least, he was doing this when he wasn't getting beaten on by Test. Every so often, the former bodyguard would dump Skinner on the outside for a few shots from Shane-O Mac, who eagerly did so.  
  
Soon, however, Nick Patrick decided to let all unbiased pretenses fly out the window as Shane brought a chair into the ring. Test pulled The Storm to his feet and held him in place for Shane's trademark flying chair shot. Skinner crumpled to the mat, and Test went into the cover. He only got a two-count before The Storm thrust his arm in the air and his shoulder off the mat. Shane and Test stared in disbelief.  
  
The Owner of WCW turned angrily to Patrick and slapped his hands together three times, urging the crooked ref to count faster next time. In their distraction, however, they had taken their eyes off The Storm, who had picked up the steel chair and was on his feet by the ropes. Test saw him first and lunged at him, aiming his massive Boot to the Head. Skinner ducked and sidestepped, causing the traitor to get caught up on the top rope. Before Test had even stopped his forward momentum, The Storm swung the chair up and around, blasting the ex-Motley Crue bodyguard with a sick _CRACK!  
  
_The Storm turned to see Nick Patrick yelling at him, then pointing at the WCW patch on his shirt. Skinner looked at him coldly, at the patch, then back at him. Then he wordlessly swung the chair up and around. _CRACK! _Patrick went down like a slab of meat. This left just The Storm and Shane McMahon in the ring. For his part, Shane-O quickly realized the grave danger of his situation. He turned and jumped for the ropes, sliding under them and running around the ring as the enraged Force of Nature gave pursuit.  
  
Soon, Shane was running back around the ring, past the announce table, and making for the entrance ramp. The Storm followed methodically, and as he got close to the ramp, a dark-clad form suddenly lunged out alongside the ramp. It was Rhyno. For the second time that night, he smashed into Matthew Skinner, folding him in half with The Gore. As the Man-Beast stood up, thumping his chest and yelling to the booing crowd, Skinner rolled toward the ring apron. Shane and Rhyno thought nothing of it, that it was just him writhing in pain from his injured ribs.  
  
They were therefore quite surprised when The Storm pulled his ugly-stick out from under the ring. He swung to his feet, a crazed, yet cold, look in his eye as he smashed Shane with it. The former heir to the WWF staggered and backed up the ramp with Rhyno between him and The Storm. Snarling, the Force of Nature rolled into the ring, picking up his title belt where the timekeeper had smartly placed it in the corner, then raised ugly-stick and championship in the air, roaring a challenge at the two retreating Alliance members. The message was clear.  
  
_The only way you're getting this Championship back is from my cold, dead fingers. And that is your Storm Warning.  
  
_**-more to come-**  
  
Next: The line in the sand has been drawn. The Alliance wants the WCW Championship back, but The Storm is dead-set on keeping it. How long can The Storm stay sane with the stress he's put on himself? Also, other tensions continue to build, including the violent break-up of a beloved tag team.  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
June 14, 2002


	16. Violence Breaks Out

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Monday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: The line in the sand has been drawn. The Alliance wants the WCW Championship back, but The Storm is dead-set on keeping it. How long can The Storm stay sane with the stress he's put on himself? Also, other tensions continue to build, including the violent break-up of a beloved tag team.  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: **Rain v. Stacy Keibler ended in a "no contest"** when Torrie Wilson continually interfered. After the match, Ivory ran out and defected to the Alliance. Rhyno and Test came out with Shane and added to the punishment. When The Storm ran out, Rhyno gave him a Gore for his trouble. Billy Rose came backstage to try and warn The Storm about the Hellions, but The Storm, furious at what had happened to him and still distrustful of Rose, told him in no uncertain terms to get lost. **Victor E def. Kanyon **to become the new U.S. Champion. Backstage, Undertaker met Scion face-to-face for the first time... only it wasn't the first time. The two discussed the growing threat of the Darkside -- a subject on which Taker was well-versed -- in regards to The Storm. Scion warned Taker that if The Storm became Agony -- his cruel, sadistic side when he was in the Hellions' thrall -- then no one was safe. **The Storm v. Test ended in a "no contest"** after continual interference from Shane and Rhyno. The Storm finally chased them off with his ugly-stick and showed his defiance and challenged them to come back and try again.

  
FYI: List of Champions: **WWF **- Triple H; **Intercontinental **- Edge; **European **- Eddie Guerrero; **Hardcore **- Rob Van Dam; **Light-Heavyweight** - X-Pac; **WWF Tag Team** - Dudley Boyz; **Women's** - Rain; **WCW **- The Storm; **U.S.** - Victor E; **Cruiserweight **- Billy Kidman; **WCW Tag Team** - Undertaker & Kane  
  
**Chapter 16: Violence Breaks Out  
  
Raw: February 3**  
  
Edge arrived about forty-five minutes later to the Air Canada Arena in Toronto than his brother did. Christian was waiting for him. "Dude! Tonight's gonna be soooo awesome!" the younger of the two said.  
  
"I know," Edge grinned. "Tonight, I'm so totally gonna kick the ass of that stick-in-the-mud Lance Storm to retain my Intercontinental Title!"  
  
Christian blinked, then nodded. "Yeah, but I'm also gonna get a title shot too!"  
  
"Really?" Edge asked, enthusiastic. "Which one? The Hardcore title against Mr. Points-to-Self?" He mimicked Van Dam's thumbs gimmick. "Or-- hey! You've lost weight recently, right? So you're gonna go after the Cruiserweight Title against Just-a-Kid, Man? Or maybe the Light-Heavyweight Title against that chumpstain X-Pac?"  
  
Christian shook his head. "No, no, I talked to Shane McMahon, and he let me have a shot at the U.S. Title!"  
  
Edge blinked, then pulled his sunglasses off. "Uh, dude, that means you're gonna fight Victor E. He's on our side."  
  
Christian waved it off. "So? He'll understand, man. Listen, I gotta go. Gotta go polish the lenses on my crazy-ass sunglasses!" He walked off as Edge looked at him strangely.  
  
* * *  
  
Jonathan Coachman stood in front of the WCW VIP Room, interviewing Shane McMahon. "Shane, a lot of people are wondering what your feelings are after last week. You put Matthew Skinner into no less than three title defenses in one week, and he still has the title around his waist."  
  
"You think I'm not aware of this, or something, Coach?" Shane snapped. "I'm perfectly aware that Matthew Skinner still has the WCW Championship. Every time I wake up at night, I'm plagued by the fact that our championship is in the enemy camp. It makes me sick! Why else do you think I put him into three title defenses last week?" Then he smiled. "But you see, this is what Plan B is all about, Coach. I figure I might as well let Matthew Skinner know what's in store for him."  
  
He faced the camera. "So, Mr. Force of Nature, if you're listening, listen good. From this moment forward, the WCW Title will be on the line in _every single match you have._ And you will defend it every single night. But just to let you know, if by some miracle, you manage to hold onto that title until _No Way Out_, you will go face-to-face with the Man-Beast, Rhyno." He smirked. "And that, Skinner, is your Storm Warning."  
  
* * *  
  
"The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the WCW U.S. Championship!"  
  
_"You think you know me..." _Clips of the grinning masters of offbeat shenanigans played as Christian came down the ramp, wearing a toque and a pair of his famous crazy-ass sunglasses. "Introducing first, the challenger, representing the WWF, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, weighing in at 215 pounds... CHRISTIAN!" Once in the ring, the Canadian pulled off his sunglasses and cap, then faced the ramp.  
  
_"We... are... ALIVE!" _played prior to the triumphant horns of the champion. Victor E. strode out, wearing a new T-Shirt. The front had a large silver-gray _V _on it, while the back read _Always Triumphant - Victor E_. He wore his U.S. Title around his waist. "And his opponent, representing CIW, from San Diego, California, weighing in at 255 pounds... he is the U.S. Champion... VICTOR E!"  
  
Victor pulled off his title belt and held it in the air before he stepped into the ring. He handed the title to referee Charles Robinson, then was attacked by Christian. The Canadian started pummeling him with right hands and forearms before getting him into the corner. Christian kicked him in the midsection until he was slumped in the corner, then started throttling him. Robinson had to pull him back to lecture him on the rules. When the former seven-time WWF Tag Champion turned back, Victor raked his eyes to get himself some breathing room.  
  
The U.S. Champion stood up and pulled his T-Shirt off, throwing it in Christian's face so he could start kicking him in the ribs and stomach. Soon the shirt fell loose and Victor smacked him across the jaw. Robinson turned away for a moment to throw the shirt out of the ring, and so he missed Christian abruptly kick Victor in the groin to halt the CIWer's rally.  
  
When Robinson turned back, Christian had slipped behind Victor for a quick school boy. 1... 2-- and Victor kicked out. Christian slapped his hands at the referee, then pulled Victor up for some more pummeling. He got him into the corner, then whipped him across into the other corner, following up with a corner clothesline. Christian prepared to do it again, but Victor reversed the whip, throwing his body weight into the movement, causing Christian to collide hard with the turnbuckle and fall over.  
  
Victor slowly got to his feet, then pulled Christian to his, sending him into the ropes before connecting with a dropkick to the chin. Standing back up after the move, Victor raised his hands in the air, flashing the V-for-victory sign. "Victor E, baby!" The fans cheered as Victor went to pull Christian up again, but the wily Canadian hit a drop toe-hold which sent the CIWer throat-first into the bottom rope. Christian got up and quickly pulled the rope against Victor's neck as he pressed down on his head, choking him. The fans booed as Christian did so, while Robinson started a five-count. The challenger released him at four, then pulled him away from the ropes, pummeling him in the head.  
  
Finally, Christian pulled him up and prepared to hit the Unprettier. As he turned Victor around, however, the last CIW Champion shook his arms free, then hooked Christian into a pumphandle. He swung him onto his shoulders, the spun him around into a flapjack in the Victory Slam. He quickly turned him over, then folded him up for the 1... 2... 3! "Here is your winner, and still the U.S. Champion... VICTOR E!"  
  
Victor rolled out of the ring, collecting both his title belt and his discarded T-Shirt. As he left up the ramp, he raised the shirt in the air, then threw it out to the fans, who dived after it. In the ring, Christian looked stunned at his quick defeat, running his hands through his hair in shock.  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, Matthew Skinner was arriving at the building, his expression masked by his ever-present black sunglasses. His duffel bag was slung over one shoulder and he carried his WCW Title belt on that same shoulder, clipped around his bag's strap. He looked to be in an extremely bad mood, and so most of the wrestlers who were hanging around (fortunately, they were all WWF or CIW) gave him a wide berth. Michael Cole, however, came up to him with a cameraman and a microphone. "Mr. Skinner, wait, please. Have you seen the interview that Shane McMahon gave earlier tonight? What are your thoughts on that?"  
  
The Storm stopped and turned around. "My thoughts? Michael, you don't want to know what my thoughts are. You don't want to know how it felt to take my WCW Title belt--" he tapped it on his shoulder strap, "--and use it to split Diamond Dallas Page's skull open. You don't want to know how it felt to stretch Booker T's neck back until I could feel it ready to snap. You don't want to know how it felt to take a steel chair and cave in the brain cavity of that traitor, Test. Do yourself a favor, Michael, and stay the hell out of my way. Take that message to the rest of the Alliance. I will do whatever I have to do to keep _my _title. Anyone who thinks they're going to take it away from me is going to end up either in traction or in a bodybag. And anyone who thinks I need any help is going to find my boot up their ass."  
  
He paused, then adjusted his sunglasses before turning to Cole again. "As for Shane's little decision to make me defend my title in every match I've got, I tell him to be very, very careful. While I welcome a challenge, you can only push a man so far before he snaps and goes ballistic on your ass. If Shane pushes me that far, I _will _go ballistic on him. And that is his Storm Warning." Abruptly, The Storm turned around and walked away.  
  
* * *  
  
Christian was leaning against a wall, a dazed look still on his face from his abrupt defeat earlier that night. His brother Edge walked up, looking at him. "Hey." No reaction. Edge blinked and tried again. "How ya doin'?" Still no reaction. Edge shrugged and said, "You gave it your best shot. Maybe after tonight, we can go out and--"  
  
But now Lance Storm walked up, almost breaking his usual fixed expression with a semi-sneer. "Well, well. Nice job, loser." He directed this at Christian. "You're almost as big of a loser as this city. At least you're keeping the streak alive." Edge stared at him angrily as Christian continued to act catatonic. Lance continued, "Toronto lost its bid for the Olympics, you lost your match, and Edge here, you're making it three for three when you lose the IC title to me later tonight. I guess you guys are living proof, nothing good ever came out of Toronto. This whole place is pathetic."  
  
Finally Edge had enough. "You wanna know what's pathetic, Lance? Getting eliminated from the Royal Rumble by a simple low-bridge is pathetic. Having the personality of a dried prune is pathetic. Being a thirty year old man who's never kissed a girl, now _that's _pathetic. But tonight, Lance, you're not going to have to worry about any offbeat shenanigans, because I am going to straight-up kick your ass."  
  
Lance sneered. "Oh, yeah?" There was an awkward pause as the serious Canadian tried to come up with a retort. Finally, he just said, "Well, we'll just see about that."  
  
Edge nodded, a confident smirk on his face before leaving. Christian remained leaning against the wall, still looking dazed and not having moved at all during this whole exchange.  
  
* * *  
  
"The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship!" Harsh, serious-sounding music played as Lance Storm came out. "Introducing first, the challenger, representing the Alliance, from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, weighing in at 240 pounds... LANCE STORM!" Storm raised his fists in the air as he came down the ramp. He entered the ring, then faced the ramp, waiting in a crouch.  
  
_"You think you know me..." _Edge came out, grinning at the cheering hometown crowd. "And his opponent, representing the WWF, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, weighing in at 240 pounds... he is the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Champion... EDGE!"  
  
Lance didn't even let Edge get his pose in the corner in before attacking him from behind. The Alliance member dished out a few right hands before Edge reversed it. The champion whipped Lance into the other corner, then caught him on the rebound for a back body drop. Lance got up slowly, only to get a clothesline, then a second. Edge went for an Irish whip, but Lance reversed it. On the rebound, Edge wrapped his legs around the other Canadian's head in a headscissors takedown. The momentum took Lance out of the ring. Lance crawled onto the apron, where Edge smacked him with a right hand and went to suplex him into the ring. Lance blocked and tried to suplex his opponent back out, but Edge countered that and succeeded in suplexing Lance over the top rope and into the ring.  
  
Getting back up, Lance went to kick Edge in the stomach, but the blond-haired Canadian caught the kick, only to get an enzuigiri to the jaw. Lance hurled him over the top to the outside, then followed. He bounced Edge's head off the barrier, then rolled him back in. Lance climbed the turnbuckle and sprang off the top with a springboard diving forearm smash for a two-count. Angry, the Calgary native bounced Edge's head off the turnbuckle, then hit a jawbreaker. Edge staggered back, only to catch a dropkick on the jaw. 1... 2... and Edge kicked out. Lance sneered and rubbed Edge's face across the mat. "It's _my _title!" he shouted.  
  
This managed to galvanize Edge into action. He managed to hit a few elbows to Lance's midsection, then smacked him in the face before coming off the ropes. Edge went for a clothesline, which Lance ducked before going off the other ropes. Both men went for a crossbody, and so they collided in mid-air with a smack. Teddy Long, the referee, started a ten-count, but both men were up by six. Lance started off first with a right hand, but Edge retaliated. The two traded right hands before Edge came off the ropes with a shoulder block, then a second. Edge came off the ropes a third time with a spinning wheel kick for a two-count. Pulling him back up, the champion went for a whip, which was reversed, but Edge managed to counter the move and pulled Lance down to the mat from behind in the Edge-o-Matic for another two-count.  
  
Edge shot him into the ropes again and ducked his head for a back body drop. Lance, however, saw it coming and kicked him upright, then went for the superkick. Edge caught the kick, kicked Lance in the gut and went for the Buzz Killer. Lance blocked that, then hit a nasty chop-block to the knee before tying Edge into the Maple Leaf. The hometown hero cried out as he reached desparately for the ropes, but Lance pulled him toward the center of the ring. Straining, his knee screaming in pain, Edge crawled forward and managed at last to grab the ropes. Lance held the Maple Leaf on for four more seconds before releasing him. Sadistic, the Alliance member started kicking Edge in the back of the injured knee before the champion shoved him back. Lance came right back and did it again. He grabbed the leg for the Maple Leaf again, but Edge flipped himself forward and rolled Lance up for the 1... 2... 3! "Here is your winner, and _still _the WWF Intercontinental Champion... EDGE!"  
  
Furious at the loss, Lance immediately dropkicked Edge in the knee to knock him down again. He dropped an elbow on the injured knee, then grabbed a chair from the outside. However, as he got back in the ring, he saw Christian running down the ramp with a chair of his own. Lance quickly took a powder and retreated backstage. The younger brother helped Edge up, then gave him a hug. Christian then retrieved Edge's title belt and handed it to him. Edge raised it in the air--  
  
And Christian abruptly swung his chair up and into Edge's head with a _CRACK! _With a blank look in his eyes, Christian raised the chair in the air, then swung it down into Edge's ribs. Edge doubled over in pain as the dazed expression on Christian face finally broke. "You did this to me!! You did this! You deserve this! _It's all your fault!_" The fans were clamoring in shock as Christian slid his chair under Edge's head, then placed his title belt across the side of his head. With a vicious snarl, Christian raised the other chair -- the one Lance Storm had left behind -- then _smashed _Edge in the head in a vile One-Man Conchairto. Edge lay limp and senseless on the mat as Christian stood over him, quivering with rage and tugging out his hair.  
  
The younger brother dropped his chair on the mat and slowly walked up the ramp, leaving Edge behind as referees and EMTs came out to check on him. The fans stared in shock as the officials pulled Edge to his feet and literally had to drag him up the ramp.  
  
It was clear to everyone what had happened, though: the E&C Dynasty, the Brothers Grin, Edge & Christian had broken up.  
  
* * *  
  
Thunder rumbled on the TitanTron and the fans cheered as the lightning flashed and shut the lights off. _"This is your Storm Warning!" _The siren blared and the music of Cold Steel roared up as The Storm came out, wearing his _I am a Force of Nature _T-Shirt and carrying his ten pounds of gold. "The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the WCW Championship. Introducing first, representing the WWF, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 240 pounds... Matthew Skinner... "THE STORM!""  
  
The fans and the man in the ring waited impatiently to find out who The Storm's opponent was going to be. They got their answer as music started up before a man shouted, _"One of a kind!" _Rock music by Breaking Point played as the fans started cheering again, only louder. This was because on the ramp was none other than Mr. Monday Night, the Whole Fucking Show, Rob Van Dam. He carried his Hardcore Championship on his shoulder and did his usual Van Dam grin to the crowd. "And his opponent, representing the Alliance, from Battle Creek, Michigan, weighing in at 220 pounds... he is the World Wrestling Federation Hardcore Champion... ROB VAN DAM!"  
  
As RVD started to climb the steps, however, his music was interrupted by that of someone else. _"Here comes the money! (Here we go - Money talks.) Here comes the money..." _All the cheering and bobbing thumbs in the stands abruptly turned to boos and rude gestures. Shane McMahon slowly walked out on the ramp, then down to ringside. The Boy Wonder wore one of his usual semi-casual shirts and slacks as he paced around. The Storm glared at him, removing his sunglasses to fix him with a burning gaze.  
  
At last, Skinner turned his attention to Van Dam, who had tossed his cracked gold out of the ring and started circling. Referee Charles Robinson circled with them, not noticing Shane pull a chair out from under the ring and slide it into the corner. Quickly, the WCW Owner rushed to the next corner over and jumped on the apron. Robinson zipped over to cut him off before he could get involved, but Shane's ploy had worked. Van Dam grabbed the chair off the mat and tossed it to The Storm, who had been half-distracted by Shane. The Force of Nature caught it, and as a result he was easy prey for RVD, who promptly jumped off the mat and snapped his foot into the chair in the Van Daminator.  
  
RVD slipped the chair back out of the ring as Shane hopped off the apron, pointing into the ring. Robinson turned and saw Van Dam in the cover. 1... 2... and The Storm kicked out as well as thrusting one of his arms in the air. RVD thought nothing of this as he went over to the corner, preparing to deliver the finish he saw as academic. But as he grasped the top ropes, he was abruptly barrelled into from behind by an enraged Matthew Skinner. The Storm slammed Van Dam sternum-first into the corner, then started bashing his head off the turnbuckle.  
  
Shane jumped on the apron again, shouting at him. Skinner spun around and lunged, swinging a fist at him. The young McMahon nimbly ducked, then grabbed The Storm's head as he dropped off the apron, hot-shotting him off the top rope. Robinson had not seen this as he was checking on RVD in the corner. Staggering back, Skinner was again left easy prey for the challenger, who swept his legs out from under him with a sweep kick. With The Storm laid out flat, RVD went off the opposite ropes, then went into a somersalt before flattening himself out in a senton in the Rolling Thunder. Van Dam covered. 1... 2... and The Storm again kicked out.  
  
As RVD backed up to consider his next attack, it became apparent that Skinner's forehead -- which had been busted open a few times over the past few weeks -- was again bleeding. Turning over to stand himself upright, The Storm felt his forehead with one hand, staring at the blood on his fingers. His lips curled back in a snarl as his rage started to boil over.  
  
But then something strange happened. He looked up at Van Dam with a wild look in his eyes. He raised his bloody hand to his mouth, then licked the blood off his fingers. As RVD and Shane reacted, the Force of Nature suddenly grabbed the top rope and started jerking it up and down, yelling at the top of his lungs, like a raving madman. The fans were shocked as well, especially as The Storm turned around to face Van Dam with a manic grin. He beckoned Mr. Monday Night to bring it on. Van Dam obliged.  
  
The two started trading blows, but none of RVD's punches seemed to be having any effect on the Force of Nature. Soon Skinner had backed Van Dam into the corner where he started pistoning his arm in and out of the corner with blow after blow. Finally he stopped, flashed a wicked grin at Shane, then reared back before snapping his arm across RVD's chest in a knife-edge chop. Van Dam winced and held his chest, only to be pushed back upright and have it done again. Another wince, and The Storm repeated it. Before Van Dam could wince, however, Skinner swung his hand back in an open-handed slap to the chest, then back the other way in the knife-edge chop, then back again in the slap. Chop, slap, chop, slap, chop.  
  
As RVD's chest turned red under the straps of his singlet, The Storm grabbed him by the head and pulled him from the corner. Once out in the middle of the ring, he suddenly grabbed him in a half-nelson, then delivered a nasty snap suplex, folding RVD in half and knocking him senseless. The fans gave an _"OHHH!" _of surprise and alarm, which was echoed by the commentators. Paul Heyman was almost pitching a fit at seeing one of ECW's icons "broken in half," to use the ECW mastermind's words.  
  
Rather than go for the pin, however, The Storm stood up and turned in a slow circle until his eyes met those of Shane McMahon. The co-owner of the Alliance saw something in those crazed eyes, and he didn't like what he saw. Shane started running as The Storm slid out of the ring and gave chase. For all of Shane's vaunted swiftness, he made the mistake of trying to jump the announce table and take off through the crowd. This slowed him down enough for Skinner to catch him. He grabbed Shane by the back of the shirt and hauled him back over the desk. Gripping the Boy Wonder by the collar and the belt, The Storm pivoted around and hurled Shane into the steel stairs.  
  
In the ring, Robinson was more concerned with Van Dam, who after finally falling flat and lying spread eagle in the ring, wasn't moving. As a result, the referee didn't see what happened outside the ring next. The Storm stood over Shane's senseless carcass and grinned maliciously, not spotting the hairy and sweaty male form who jumped out of the crowd. Matthew Skinner turned around and was promptly Gored into the security barrier behind him by Rhyno. The fans shouted and promptly started booing as the Man-Beast thumped his chest and raised his fists in the air. "_Who's da man?!_"  
  
The boos turned to cheers as a chair-wielding Billy Rose came running down the ramp, cracking Rhyno in the head before the ECWer saw him coming. Rose set the chair on the steel steps and dragged The Storm to his feet, rousing him slightly before rolling him into the ring. Robinson turned and saw the WCW Champion lying on the mat in a similar state as RVD, and so began the ten-count. Van Dam, who had been taken out sooner than The Storm, was the first to get up as the ref counted seven. RVD looked at Skinner, who lay near the corner, but too close for a Five-Star. Van Dam stepped over him and into the corner. He hitched himself up, ready to deliver the Split-Legged Moonsault, but Rose wasn't feeling that magnanimous. He raised his chair and blasted Van Dam in the head with it.  
  
Charles Robinson saw this, and promptly started ringing the bell, calling for the disqualification. Rose entered the ring and set the chair down, going to help The Storm to his feet. Robinson handed the belt to Rose, who slipped it into Skinner's hands. By this point, however, Shane and Rhyno were both starting to come around. The two entered the ring and immediately pulled the Californian off of The Storm and began applying a two-man beating. Van Dam came around and angrily joined in, pissed at being screwed out of double gold.  
  
The fans cheered again as The Storm pushed himself upright, brushing blood off of his forehead, running his fingers down his face, leaving two bloody smears down his cheeks under his eyes. He hoisted the chair up and smashed it into Rhyno's head, sending him rolling out of the ring. He pivoted and brained Van Dam, sending him packing as well. Shane whirled around and barely had time to get his hands up to try and cushion the blow that hit him in the face. The young McMahon hit the mat and rolled out of the ring, retreating up the ramp with his two comrades, staring in the ring at the bleeding lunatic with the steel chair.  
  
The Storm paced in the ring, the blood starting to dry on his face, when he noticed that Billy Rose was starting to get up in the corner. He stared at him, then gripped the chair with both hands. The fans, sensing what was coming, started yelling, as if to dissuade the Force of Nature from doing what he was about to do. Rose heard the sound from the crowd and turned around. _CRACK! _ The steel chair hit him square in the forehead, sending him right back to the mat.  
  
The Storm threw the badly-dented chair to the mat and grabbed his title belt from where he'd dropped it in the corner. He walked back over and stood over Rose's unconscious form, holding his WCW Title over him. "You see this, Rose? This is _mine!_ Not yours! I'm the one who defends it, not you! Next time you try to get involved, I'll break every bone in your fucking body!!"  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: _No Way Out _draws closer and closer as The Storm begins to strike out at anything that approaches him -- friend and foe alike. How much more can one man take?  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
June 20, 2002


	17. Contents Under Pressure

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Thursday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: _No Way Out _draws closer and closer as The Storm begins to strike out at anything that approaches him -- friend and foe alike. How much more can one man take?  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: Shane McMahon announced that The Storm will have to defend the WCW Title in every single match he has, and if he should retain it until _No Way Out_, he will have to defend it against Rhyno. **Victor E def. Christian **in Christian's hometown of Toronto to retain the U.S. Title. The Storm, being interviewed by Michael Cole, made it clear that he would do whatever he had to do to keep the WCW Title, and then warned Shane not to push him too far. Edge tried to console his almost catatonic brother on the loss, but Lance Storm showed up and started talking smack about Toronto and losers, prompting Edge to put Lance in his place prior to their match. **Edge def. Lance Storm **to retain the Intercontinental Title, and was aided by Christian when Lance continued the assault after the match. However, then Christian turned on his brother and bashed him with the chair repeatedly, shouting that "You did this to me! ... It's all your fault!" before putting Edge's head on a chair on the mat, laying his belt across his head, then delivering a vile One-Man Conchairto. **Rob Van Dam def. The Storm via Disqualification **when Billy Rose interfered on The Storm's behalf. In spite of RVD's vast arsenal of moves, The Storm continued to kick out and get back up, showcasing a wicked manic side previously only seen in his Hell in a Cell match. Rhyno got involved by jumping out of the crowd and delivering another Gore, prompting Billy Rose to run out with a chair and take out Rhyno. Rose then helped The Storm into the ring, but prevented RVD from capitalizing on it by attacking with the steel chair, causing the DQ. After the match, all three Alliance members attacked Rose, only to be chased off by the chair-swinging Storm, who then turned on Rose, knocking him out with the chair and warning him not to get involved ever again.  
  
FYI: List of Champions: **WWF **- Triple H; **Intercontinental **- Edge; **European **- Eddie Guerrero; **Hardcore **- Rob Van Dam; **Light-Heavyweight** - X-Pac; **WWF Tag Team** - Dudley Boyz; **Women's** - Rain; **WCW **- The Storm; **U.S.** - Victor E; **Cruiserweight **- Billy Kidman; **WCW Tag Team** - Undertaker & Kane  
  
**Chapter 17: Contents Under Pressure  
  
Thursday: Smackdown, February 6**  
  
For the second show in a row, the WWF emanated from Toronto, Ontario in Canada. After the curtain-jerker match, which featured Nate Starr teaming up with Tajiri against The Hurricane and Chavo Guerrero (Tajiri and Starr got the win after a Buzzsaw Kick and Starr's new "Supernova" DDT -- which he pulled out when Chavo went for a powerbomb, but Starr swung his legs off his shoulders to one side, grabbed the head and dropped him in a DDT), the fans started buzzing and cheering as the CIW bumper played, followed by the opening music of "Until You Crack" by the Union Underground. Soon enough, Billy Rose emerged, wearing the CIW T-Shirt under his usual red shirt, being accompanied to the ring by Jenny Black. By the time the two of them hit the ring, there were chants of _"C-I-W!" _in the crowd.  
  
Rose took a microphone and paced in the ring, rubbing at his forehead where he'd been hit with a steel chair the preceding Monday on _Raw_. He then looked up, "Last Monday night, Matthew Skinner hit me in the head with a steel chair." The fans initially cheered at the mention of the WCW Champion, but half of those turned to boos at the mentioning of the chair-shot. The Californian shook his head. "Part of me probably deserved it, but the fact is I ran out there on Monday to do help accomplish CIW's goal in this Invasion. And that is to level the playing field." He spread his arm. "Not only did The Storm have to fight Rob Van Dam--" pops for both men's names, "--but also at ringside where Rhyno--" boos, "--and Shane McMahon." The boos turned massive at Shane-O's name. "I'm proud of the fact that he managed to get back up and send all three of them packing, but a little peeved that he decided to reward my help by blasting me in the face with a chair. But being as we're on the same side, I'll let bygones be bygones and let it slide.  
  
"Shane," Rose said after a pause, "if you hate the fact that The Storm holds the WCW Title, that's fine. But I will not stand by and just let you stack the deck against him like that. In short, if you insist on having run-ins or interference, then you'll have to deal with not just me, but all of CIW." More cheering. "Now, unfortunately for you, Shane-O," he said, walking to the ropes facing the TitanTron, "you won't get a chance to have The Storm put his title on the line tonight, since Mr. McMahon has already booked him in a tag-team match tonight with Kurt Angle against Triple H and Rhyno. And just in case you're getting any ideas, Shane, I'm going to be watching right by the ramp, and I'm going to have Brick with me. I will brook no interference."  
  
_"Here comes the Money! (Here we go - Money talks.) Here comes the Money..." _The fans started booing heavily as Shane and Stephanie appeared at the top of the ramp. The jeering continued as they walked down the ramp to the ring, as the fans alternately chanted _"Shane's a pussy!" _or _"Slut!" _Shane took a mike as he joined the two CIWers in the ring. The Boy Wonder glared at the crowd for a moment, then turned to Rose. "Who the hell do you think you are?" he demanded. "You think you can just waltz in here, get all buddy-buddy with my old man and just start throwing edicts around? Who do you think you are?"  
  
"I'll tell you who I am, Shane-O," Rose said, poking him in the chest. "I'm the guy that kicked your ass at the Rumble. I'm the guy who had things all figured out back in the Faction before you went and let it all fall to pieces. You wanna know who I am? I'm Billy Fucking Rose! I am the Mental Elite, the _leader _of CIW!"  
  
"Is that supposed to impress me?" Shane snapped. "You say that like it means something. CIW is nothing, it's just a bunch of wannabes with a prick bastard for a leader."  
  
Rose shoved Shane back and pointed a finger at him. "You watch what you say to me about my company. Just because we didn't have a big, fat, billionaire backer or a national cable TV deal doesn't make us wannabes. Let me remind you that five of our guys became superstars in the WWF before the Invasion." Rose raised his hand and counted them off on his fingers. "Brick, Zed, Zeta, myself, and The Storm -- Matthew Skinner!" The fans cheers grew with each name mentioned. Rose poked Shane in the chest again. "Don't confuse exposure with greatness. Let's not forget that your company made the enormous blunder of putting its World Title on the waist of David Arquette. Just because he had the belt doesn't make him great."  
  
Abruptly, Stephanie shoved her way between the two, pushing Rose back and taking Shane's mike. "Hey! You can't put your hands on _my _brother like that! This is _Shane _McMahon, the _Owner _of WCW, the _co-owner_ of the _Alliance_!" Her shrill voice enunciated the words and set everyone's nerves on end. Now Steph was poking Rose in the chest. "You might've gotten lucky against him once, but my brother is a _gladiator! _He can kick your ass _any _day of the week!"  
  
And now suddenly Jenny Black pushed between the Billion-Dollar Princess and the Mental Elite. Rose's personal assistant deftly plucked the mike from her boss' hand and faced Steph. "Stephanie, do us all a favor and stop talking for a moment. It's giving everyone a headache." ("Amen," remarked Michael Cole at ringside.) Jenny continued, "Now, you've all talked for quite long enough. If you don't have anything important to say, kindly stop wasting our time and -- as the saying goes -- go screw yourselves."  
  
Stephanie looked shocked, and this allowed Shane to take the mike from her before she could offer a rebuttal, much to everyone's relief. He smirked confidently. "Oh, I do have something to add." Shane turned to Jenny. "Since you seem to be so anxious to stand up for your boss, and since my baby sister, Stephanie, seems to be so anxious to stand up for me, I propose we have ourselves a little match between the two of you." Stephanie nodded a bit eagerly, while Jenny raised her eyebrows, then smiled and nodded in agreement.  
  
Then Shane smirked quite wickedly. "Billy, you said that I won't have a chance to make Matthew Skinner put his title on the line tonight? You're wrong. I said he was going to defend his belt in every single match he has, and that's just what he's going to do." Seeing the surprised look on Rose's face, Shane continued, "Tonight, in that tag-team main event, The Storm will put his WCW Championship up for grabs, with the title being awarded to the man who gets the pinfall. This means we could either see The Storm retain his title, we could see a new WCW Champion in Rhyno, we could see a new _Unified _World Champion in Triple H, or--" here Shane smirked again, "--we could have a new WCW Champion in Kurt Angle."  
  
Rose looked shocked. He looked at Shane. "You're going to award the title to whoever gets the pin?"  
  
"That's right."  
  
The Californian looked at him for a long, long moment, then walked up to him, raising the mike to his mouth. He stared him in the eyes. "You have no idea what you're about to unleash." With that said, he dropped the mike, parted the ropes for Jenny, then left up the ramp, staring at the ring where Shane and Stephanie watched them leave confusedly.  
  
* * *  
  
The fans perked up and started cheering a bit as the TitanTron played familiar music. _"You think you know me..." _But those cheers soon turned to a mixture of boos as they saw that the video only featured one man, and then moreso as that one man showed up on the stage. It was Christian, looking much more in control than he had been on _Raw_. He entered the ring and took a microphone. He looked around at the fans, some of whom had signs that said _Why Christian Why?_  
  
He shook his head and spoke. "You know last night...was one of the greatest nights of my life!" He smiled a bit. "I mean, I haven't felt that good since I moved to Florida and officially became a US citizen...eh?" His smile turned into a malicioius smirk. "But it seems lately--" He broke off as the fans started chanting _"Asshole! Asshole!" at him._ "--but it seems lately I've been living in denial. Yeah, I heard all the talk. Jealousy. Bitterness. Resentment. And last night, it hit me. All the talk is true!"  
  
The fans murmurred a bit at that, wondering if it was possible he was going to admit his guilt. But then Christian dashed those hopes. "My brother Edge has been jealous, bitter, and resentful of me _my whole life!_" The fans jeered, but Christian kept speaking. "Think about it for a minute. It's always been Edge... and Christian. E&C." The smirk turned into a cruel sneer. "_Edge and his BROTHER!_ Well why do you always get to go first, Edge, huh? What makes you so damn special!? What have you ever done?!" The spark of rage passed and Christian smiled again. "Well I'm special. Me! I know I'm special!" He paused for a moment, not even noticing as the fans chanted _"You suck!" _at him. "I've always been there for you, Edge... always."  
  
Now the rage started to come back. "But where were you for me last Monday night, huh? _Huh_? I coulda been the U.S. Champion! And you were nowhere to be found... _why_? Why?" Now the malicious smirk came back. "Because it woulda _killed_ you. It would have eaten you alive to see your brother walking around with singles gold." The smirk turned into a sneer. "You made me do this, Edge. This is your fault. But it all comes back." Again the fans chanted _"Asshole!" _at him, but he ignored them. "Edge... you and the people of this city deserve each other. Because you're all selfish! You're all so damn selfish! Why are you so selfish, huh!? Well I don't need you, Edge."  
  
The fans, sick of hearing him defame their hometown, started chanting _"You suck!" _at him again. "I don't need you, Edge...not for anything. Not even for a Conchairto. I proved that last Monday. You have _nothing_ that I need..." And now he smiled at last. "But you do have something that I want - the Intercontinental Title! That's why at _No Way__ Out_, Edge... I'm gonna take your Intercontinental Title... the same way you always took the spotlight from me, every chance that you got. And it will be mine..." His face had a dreamy look on it. "It's perfect. Singles gold. And you know, Edge... just like our song, I think I know you. But as last Monday night proved...you _so _don't... know... me."  
  
* * *  
  
A black Honda Civic pulled into the garage, and Matthew Skinner climbed out. A bandage adorned his forehead, where he'd been busted open time and again in recent weeks. As usual, his eyes were hidden beneath his sunglasses, and his expression told most anybody who was in front of him to stay out of his way. He got his duffel bag and his WCW Championship belt out from the backseat. The belt still bore a discolored spot from where it had been stained with Diamond Dallas Page's blood.  
  
Silently, he walked toward his locker room, not even noticing the WWF and CIW wrestlers stepping out of his way as he did so. When he reached his locker room, however, he found Billy Rose waiting for him. The CIW mastermind stood up and faced him. The Storm gave him one look, then turned to put his stuff down, saying, "You have ten seconds to get out of my dressing room."  
  
"About Monday night--" Rose began.  
  
"One, two, three--"  
  
"--I don't know what's wrong with your head these days, but I'm on your side--"  
  
"--four, five, six--"  
  
"--so try to at least not hit me in the head with any more steel chairs--"  
  
"--seven, eight, nine--"  
  
"Dammit, are you even listening to me?!"  
  
"--ten." The Storm swung around and grabbed Rose by the shirt front, gave him a quick punch to the jaw, then threw him out into the hall, slamming the door behind him. He paused, looked up and saw the cameraman shaking a bit with fear. Skinner jerked a thumb at the door. "You too. Out." The cameraman hastily did so.  
  
* * *  
  
"The following women's contest is scheduled for one fall."  
  
_"We... are... ALIVE!" _The CIW theme -- "Defy You" by the Offspring -- continued to play as Jenny Black emerged on the ramp, with Brick accompanying her. The CIW "girl Friday" was wearing flared pants with leather stringwork along the outseams. She wore a sleeveless CIW T-Shirt as well. "Introducing first, representing CIW and being accompanied by Brick, from Los Angeles, California... JENNY BLACK!"  
  
Jenny stepped into the ring as Brick prowled around the ringside area. She raised her arms in the air, smiling a bit, then faced the ramp. The CIW music trailed off, replaced by the ECW theme, "This is Extreme!" Out came Stephanie, wearing an uninteresting outfit (albeit one that showed off her curves), but she had backup as well, in the form of Test. "And her opponent, representing the Alliance, being accompanied by Test, from Greenwich, Connecticut... she is the Owner of ECW... STEPHANIE McMAHON-HELMSLEY!"  
  
Test took up a station at the other side of the ring from Brick, who kept his beady little eyes on the turncoat. For his part, Test looked both at him, then scoped the curves of both women in the ring. Stephanie seemed utterly confident, believing Jenny to be just another shrinking violet. She was about to be proven wrong.  
  
The two locked up, and Jenny promptly snapped on a headlock, then a takedown, keeping Steph on the mat and maintaining the headlock. Finally she let go and backed off as Stephanie backed away into a corner, suddenly realizing she had her work cut out for her. Test went over to her corner and encouraged her to go back and try again.  
  
Stephanie hesitantly stepped back out into the ring, but slapped Jenny instead of locking up. Jenny blinked and dished out a forearm. Then a second, backing Stephanie into the corner with a third. She then went for a boot choke, before throwing Steph face-first to the mat. Jenny smirked and raised her hands in the air, flashing the CIW hand-sign. The fans popped and began a _"C-I-W!" _chant.  
  
Jenny went for a pin, but the Billion-Dollar Princess managed to squeak a shoulder up. As Jenny got up to argue the pin, Stephanie rolled her up and started to put her feet on the ropes for leverage. Brick was right there, however, and shoved her feet off the ropes. The referee saw him and angrily warned him not to do that again. As Stephanie ran away from Jenny, who got back up and rolled her up for another nearfall, Test ran around the side of the ring and aimed a Boot to the Head at the 7'1" behemoth. Brick was staggered by the strike, but roared and grabbed Test by the throat, lifting him up for a Breaker Chokeslam.  
  
This action distracted the referee, who missed Jenny scooping Stephanie up and delivering a variant of the Michinoku Driver -- which she called simply the Black Driver -- to the ECW Owner. She went for the cover, but referee Mike Chioda was still distracted by Brick, who delivered his big move on the floor. Jenny looked back and stood up to shout for Chioda to pay attention. This allowed Stephanie to recover and quickly roll Jenny up, grabbing a handful of her opponent's waistline for illegal leverage. Chioda turned back just in time to see the pin, but not the tight-grab. 1... Brick looked up and quickly climbed onto the apron, 2.... Brick stepped into the ring, 3! Steph quickly slid out of the ring as the angry Breaker-Man ran over, snarling as he checked on Jenny, who was fine, but furious at the cheating tactics employed by the Billion-Dollar Princess.  
  
Test, clutching his neck and back, ran over to his erstwhile fiancee and retreated up the ramp with her. Stephanie gave one of her "triumphant" sneers as she did so.  
  
* * *  
  
In the arena cafeteria, Zed and Zeta were getting themselves something to drink. "What'cha thinkin', pod?" Zeta asked his burly buddy.  
  
"I'm thinkin' we oughta go to Commissioner Besmirched," Zed replied, "and get our contractually-obliged rematch for the Tag Titles."  
  
"Sounds like a good plan, Zed-Head," the smaller Z-Man said.  
  
They started to turn around, and found themselves looking at Lance Storm. The stoic Canadian fixed them with a glare. "Well, well, well, two more of the WWF's ridiculous so-called superstars." Lance looked Zeta over, paying particular attention to his somewhat unorthodox style of dress. "Showing off with nonconformist clothing and offbeat shenanigans."  
  
Zeta stared at Lance as though examining some new species of spore mold. "By Jove, Rog, my boy," he said, affecting a very fake British accent, "look! It's a rare Canadian _bore-us-allus!_ And still ripe and snooze-inducing!"  
  
"Crikey!" Zed quipped in a similar phony accent, this one apparently borrowing from the Crocodile Hunter. "You do realize this `ere's one of the most dainjerous bores in the world! Watch out, it could put'cha t' sleep at any moment! Dainja! Dainja!"  
  
Both of the jocular Z-Men were momentarily silenced when someone made a _"Whoooosh!" _sound. Someone leapt in from the side, assuming a superheroic hands-on-hips pose. It was none other than the Alliance's self-proclaimed superhero, The Hurricane. "By the cape and cowl of Batman!" the masked cruiserweight declared. "What have we here? Two vile villains seeking to insult your reputation, Citizen Storm?" He pointed a finger at the Z-Men. "Beware, nefarious ne'er-do-wells, for I--" he suddenly struck his trademark pose, "--The Hurricane!--" and returned to standing, finger pointed, "--have seen your dastardly deeds, your foul feats of villainy, your audacious acts -- _wassapwitdat__?!_"  
  
Zed looked more bemused than intimidated by The Hurricane's posturing. He leaned forward and poked his own finger into the superhero's chest. "I dunno what sorta hurri-weed you been smokin', boy, but me and Zait got bigger fish to fry than you two wanna-bes. So why don't you go bore the paint off the walls, Lancey, and why don't you go read one of your comic books, Hurri-chump."  
  
The Z-Men pushed by to try and leave, but Lance Storm had decided to take action. He grabbed a tray of food off the catering table and dumped the food on the floor. He then cracked Zed over the skull with it. The ex-boxer grunted and staggered as The Hurricane swung a "hurri-fist" at Zeta. The smaller Z-Man blocked and started fighting with the so-called superhero.  
  
Zed spun around and caught the tray as Lance swung it again, wrenching it from his hands and bashing him in the face with it. As the Canadian wobbled, Zed grabbed him by the front of his ECW T-Shirt and hurled him over the catering table into the wall. Zeta kicked The Hurricane in the stomach, pulled his cape over his face, then threw him across a table and into a bunch of chairs.  
  
Both men finished their respective parts and turned to survey each other's handiwork. Zeta grinned and pointed at Zed with both forefingers. "You the man!"  
  
Zed shook his head and returned the gesture. "No, you the man!"  
  
"No, _you _the man!" "No, _you _the man!"  
  
The two walked off, repeating those words at each other, leaving the two Alliance stars behind them.  
  
* * *  
  
Rain was late arriving at the arena, and thus she arrived at her boyfriend's locker room to find the Acolytes and Brick standing outside the locked door. Bradshaw was pounding on it. "Come on, Skinner! We just wanna help you get nice and hammered before you go out and whup somebody's ass!" There was no reply.  
  
"Come on, man!" Faarooq called. "Don't make us have to get Brick to knock down the door." Still no reply.  
  
"What's going on?" Rain asked.  
  
"Matthew has been in his locker room since he got here," came the distinctively grave voice of Scion, who appeared behind Rain. She turned to look at him with a questioning glance. "He threw out Mr. Rose and a cameraman."  
  
Rain sighed a bit and knocked on the door. "Matthew? Matthew, come on, open this door."  
  
Surprisingly, this seemed to work. The door opened, and The Storm stepped into the hallway, wearing his _Seek Shelter _T-Shirt and a bandage on his forehead. He carried his WCW Championship belt in his hand. He gave them all a brief glance. "My match is up next," he said flatly, then shoved his way through the A.P.A. and headed toward the gorilla position.  
  
Rain started to go after him, but Scion laid a hand on her shoulder. "It would be best not to get involved right now. Matthew needs to face his demons by himself."  
  
* * *  
  
"The following tag-team contest is scheduled for one fall. In this match, the person who scores the fall wins the WCW Championship!"  
  
The fans booed as the low, aggressive music of Rhyno filled the arena. The Man-Beast walked out, wearing red-on-black tights tonight. He thumped his chest and bellowed, "Who's da man!?" as he came to the ring. "Introducing first, representing the Alliance, from Detroit, Michigan, weighing in at 280 pounds... RHYNO!"  
  
Rhyno got in the ring and glared at the crowd from the turnbuckles as his music faded, replaced by the music of Motörhead. _"It's time to play the Game..." _The booing intensified for the leader of the Alliance, Triple H, who wore his WWF Championship around his waist as he came out by himself, Stephanie staying back in the Alliance VIP Room to avoid the stalking Brick and Jenny Black. Helmsley did his usual entrance schtick before turning to talk strategy with Rhyno. "And his tag-team partner, also representing the Alliance, from Greenwich, Connecticut, weighing in at 247 pounds... he is the World Wrestling Federation Champion... TRIPLE H!"  
  
Soon the Game's music faded out, replaced by the patriotic horns of "Medal." The fans cheered as their Olympic Hero came out and posed for his Fourth-of-July-type fireworks. Kurt Angle stopped at the bottom of the ramp. "And their opponents, first, representing the WWF, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, weighing in at 225 pounds... KURT ANGLE!"  
  
Angle waited for his partner before entering, ignoring the taunts and beckonings of the two Alliance superstars in the ring. Before long, Angle's music cut off, replaced by drum roll of thunder and a cymbal crash of lightning. The lights went out. _"This is your Storm Warning!" _The lights came up as Cold Steel played. The Storm appeared at the top of the ramp, face in shadow as he held his title belt in one hand. "And his tag-team partner, also representing the WWF, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 240 pounds... he is the WCW Champion... Matthew Skinner, THE STORM!"  
  
The Storm stalked down the ramp and circled the ring one way as Angle went the other. Skinner passed his title to the referee, nodded to Angle, then rushed the ring, making a beeline for Rhyno as Angle went for Hunter. The four men started brawling before Skinner took the last ECW Champion outside and threw him face-first into the ring post. He applied a few stomps as Triple H took down Angle with a hard clothesline and went for a quick cover. Skinner looked up, then reached into the ring and grabbed the Game's ankle, pulling him off of Angle to break the count.  
  
The Storm tried to continue the assault, but Rhyno grabbed his leg, distracting him as Angle recovered and quickly grabbed Hunter's ankle for an Angle Lock. Unfortunately for Angle (and fortunately for Skinner), Triple H was too close to the ropes and he grabbed them quickly. He clamped on the hold for four more seconds before releasing him and starting to hammer at his back with forearms.  
  
Finally, Angle pulled Triple H away from the ropes and delivered a German Suplex to him, then maintained the waistlock to deliver a second, then a third. Before Angle could go for four, however, Rhyno stepped into the ring, distracting the ref and allowing the WWF Champion to snap his leg back into Angle's gonads. The Game then broke the waistlock and knocked the Olympian down with a strong right hand. He pulled him over to the corner and tagged in Rhyno proper, and the Man-Beast set to work picking apart Angle.  
  
Rhyno took the WWFer over to the neutral corner and walloped him with a few right hands before stomping him to the mat. He then dragged Angle over to the hostile corner again, pulling him up and choking him for several seconds before the referee stopped him. As Mike Chioda lectured Rhyno, Triple H beat on Angle behind his back, then relented as Rhyno turned back to Angle and chicken-winged his arm over the top rope, wrenching it and stretching it.  
  
Chioda stopped him from doing this, so Rhyno simply started punching Angle in the shoulder. After a moment, he delivered a belly-to-belly slam on Angle, chicken-winging the arm as he did so to further injure it. He went for a cover. 1... 2... and The Storm dashed in and kicked Rhyno in the head to break the pin. Chioda made him step back outside the ropes, but quickly turned around as Angle rolled up Rhyno for a pin. 1... 2... and The Storm again slid in and broke the pin.  
  
Angle got up and angrily exchanged words with him. "What the heck are you doing?!"  
  
"It's my fucking belt!" Skinner snapped at him, gesturing around his waist. "Do whatever the hell you want to them, but you are _not _getting my fucking belt!"  
  
Angle shouted, "What the heck are you talking about? I'm just--" but he got no further as Rhyno attacked him, knocking him into The Storm and sending him falling off the apron. The Man-Beast then whipped Angle into the hostile corner and quickly speared him in the ribs. He then tagged in Triple H, who picked up the assault on Angle's arm, hitting a hiptoss, then locking on a reverse armbar, taking Angle to the mat face-down. The Game then dropped elbows onto his shoulder, dissecting him.  
  
After a moment, Triple H flipped him over to go for a pin, but The Storm pulled Chioda out of position to break the count as he climbed back on the apron. The Game glared at the WCW Champion, who glared hatefully back. He turned back to Angle, who was struggling to get to hsi feet. As Triple H moved in for the kill, however, Angle slipped his arms around him, then flipped him backwards in a belly-to-belly overhead suplex. The fans popped as Angle did so, but the Olympic Hero was worn out and didn't get back up right away. The Game crawled toward his corner as Angle did the same, and both men made a hot tag almost simultaneously.  
  
The fans cheered as The Storm lunged into the ring, knocking down Rhyno with a stiff forearm smash, then grabbing Triple H and throwing him through the ropes to the outside. The Force of Nature turned around and shouted in pain as Rhyno slapped on a bearhug, trying to weaken The Storm's injured ribs, but Skinner raked his hands across the Man-Beast's face to break the hold. He grabbed Rhyno in a half-nelson, then prepared to deliver that deadly snap suplex, but Rhyno grabbed the ropes and swung his elbow back at The Storm's head.  
  
The WCW Champion, however, was not so easily dissuaded from his attack. He ducked under the swing, grabbed Rhyno by the armpits and dropped backwards, flinging him in a belly-to-belly throw. He started to turn to continue the assault, but Triple H grabbed his ankle from the outside. The Storm turned to take a swing at him, but when he turned around, Rhyno was already on his feet and charging. He plowed into The Storm with full force in the Gore.  
  
He went for a cover, but The Storm got his foot on the ropes. Angle slid out of the ring to brawl with Triple H, finally rolling over the announce table and scaring the commentators from their seats. Rhyno stood up to argue with Chioda, but The Storm surprised him and caught him in the Downdraft. He quickly went and folded Rhyno over for a pin, and while Chioda was busy checking the shoulders and counting, the Force of Nature put his feet up on the ropes. 1... 2... 3!  
  
The fans were a bit surprised by Matthew Skinner's tactics, but they cheered anyway as he rolled from the ring and grabbed his title belt. He swung about and blasted Triple H across the forehead as he got up from behind the announce table, then pivoted and hit Rhyno with it as he charged to get some revenge. He chased away Chioda and the timekeeper, then whirled around as someone laid a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Whoa! It's me, easy!" Angle said, stepping backwards hastily. The Storm looked not-quite-sane as he looked at the Olympian, then just dropped his title belt on his shoulder and raised Angle's hand before heading up the ramp.  
  
It was becoming more and more clear that The Storm was slowly sliding down a spiral into madness, but nobody dared to try and stop him. He was too dangerous.  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: The Storm continues his downward spiral as the Alliance continues to pull out all the stops.  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
July 18, 2002


	18. Downward Spirals

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Monday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: The Storm continues his downward spiral as the Alliance continues to pull out all the stops.  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: Rose and Jenny Black came to the ring to tell Shane that they will tolerate no more interference in The Storm's matches, but Shane & Stephanie declare that The Storm will have to defend his WCW Title in the tag team main event anyway -- the title going to whomever gets the pinfall. **Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley def. Jenny Black **as the referee got distracted by a brawl outside between Brick and Test. Christian cut a promo severing his ties from Edge and challenged him to an IC Title match at _No Way Out_. Backstage, The Storm locked himself in his dressing room, while the Z-Men ran into The Hurricane & Lance Storm backstage and left the two lying. In the main event, **The Storm & Kurt Angle def. Triple H & Rhyno **after The Storm pinned Rhyno with his feet on the ropes. During the match, Angle was isolated by HHH and Rhyno, but The Storm broke any pins -- including one made by Angle. He then attacked HHH and Rhyno with his title belt after the match and nearly did the same to Angle.  
  
FYI: List of Champions: **WWF **- Triple H; **Intercontinental **- Edge; **European **- Eddie Guerrero; **Hardcore **- Rob Van Dam; **Light-Heavyweight** - X-Pac; **WWF Tag Team** - Dudley Boyz; **Women's** - Rain; **WCW **- The Storm; **U.S.** - Victor E; **Cruiserweight **- Billy Kidman; **WCW Tag Team** - Undertaker & Kane  
  
**Chapter 18: Downward Spirals  
  
Monday: Raw, February 10**  
  
After a hot little opener which featured a women's match between Ivory and Dee Meaner (which Ivory won after hitting the Poison Ivory, but Dee got her heat back after the match by hitting Ivory with her stiff savate kick), Triple H came to the ring, which was surrounded by the Alliance roster. His wife and brother-in-law were also in the ring as the WWF Champion and leader of the Alliance held a public meeting. He shifted his title belt to his left shoulder as he spoke. "Look around," he told his comrades. "You're looking at the Alliance, the greatest force this industry has ever seen. The combination of WCW and ECW. We're led by the two children of Vince McMahon himself, by the so-called Mad Scientist of Sports Entertainment, and -- of course, by myself: Triple H -- the Game, the Cerebral Assassin -- the World Wrestling Federation Champion!"  
  
The fans booed as Helmsley said all this. He turned and glared around the ring. "So if we're such a dominant force, why is it that we seem to keep losing matches? The WCW Championship is in the possession of Matthew Skinner, the man who calls himself The Storm, the Force of Nature. Shane-O," he said, turning to the Owner of WCW, "you keep telling me you have this great plan to take that title away from him, yet so far, all I see is Matthew Skinner beating the crap out of everyone you throw at him." A brief cheer from the crowd for that statement. "I know you keep saying that he's going to defend his title against Rhyno at _No Way Out_, but I don't want there to be any doubt that Rhyno is going to win. I don't want The Storm to make it to _No Way Out_. I want him removed from the equation."  
  
Shane had a microphone of his own. "Oh, don't worry, Hunter. He won't be part of the equation at all, come _No Way Out_. The Storm's been broken before, and he'll be broken again -- by the Man-Beast!"  
  
Triple H nodded, then turned to face the people on the outside. "Page, Kanyon, front and center." The two Jersey natives obliged, climbing onto the ring apron. "You two are former WCW Tag Team Champions, right?" Getting nods from both, he went on, "Well I think it's time you traded up and went for a different level. Tonight, you have Zed & Zeta in a tag-team match. I want you two to keep them from getting a rematch at the Dudleys. If you manage to win, you'll make yourselves top contenders, and thus we keep the WWF's Tag Titles in the Alliance." The two former members of the Jersey Triad nodded and jumped off the apron.  
  
The Game paced in the ring. "Those are the specific orders I have for them. Now I have some general orders for all of you. And those are quite simply to kick the ass of anybody from the WWF or CIW that you see. I don't care who they are. I want the Alliance to be a force to be reckoned with, a force to be feared. I don't want you to stop until the WWF and CIW lies at our feet and dies out!"  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, in their locker room, the Z-Men were warming up. Zed was shadow boxing at the wall, his knuckles coming within millimeters of the bricks, while Zeta stretched his legs and shoulders. Zeta started talking. "Man, once we take care of the Jersey Twosome, we're gonna take back our belts from the Dudleys, those goddamn mother--"  
  
"Zait," Zed warned.  
  
"--loving idiots!" Zeta amended.  
  
"Damn skippy," Zed replied, stopping and popping his knuckles. "Let's go kick some ass."  
  
The duo started toward the ring, but partway there, they ran into The Hurricane. "Halt, dastardly defilers!" the so-called superhero declared, thrusting his hand palm-forward. "You think that I--" he assumed his hurri-pose, "--The Hurricane!--" and back to normal, "--have forgotten the malicious massacre you perpetrated on myself and Citizen Storm last week? You think you can escape without righteous retribution? You think that I am not a true superhero? Wassupwitdat?!"  
  
Zeta rolled his eyes. "Ah, come on, hurri-dweeb, get outta our way. We got a match to go win."  
  
Zed shushed him, looking at The Hurricane. "Hey, Hurri-nuts, whaddaya say we play a little game?" The superhero delusional arched an eyebrow. "It's called the Soft Hitting Contest. Whoever hits the softest wins." The caped cruiserweight nodded. "Okay, then, you can go first."  
  
The Hurricane hesitated, then looked at Zed as he held his arm out for hitting. Then, slowly, the superhero reached a fist out and gently tapped Zed on the bicep. All at once, Zed's strong right fist snapped out and delivered the Jawbuster, knocking The Hurricane unconscious. Zed smirked. "Aw, will you look at that? I lost."  
  
Zeta burst out laughing and slapped a high five with his partner, then left down the hall as Zed smirked over the superhero again before leaving.  
  
* * *  
  
The Z-Men's tag team match against DDP and Kanyon wasn't anything special. In the early going, Zed was in the ring, throwing around whichever Jersey native was in the ring. Then Zed tagged in Zeta, who continued the pummeling until Page managed to rally and isolate the smaller Z-Man. Kanyon took over and again showcased why he was the Innovator of Offense, attacking Zeta with whatever move came to mind.  
  
Then Page came back in and picked up where Kanyon left off, eventually looking for the Diamond Cutter. Zeta managed to counter that into a reverse DDT, then crawled toward Zed as DDP crawled to Kanyon. The tags were made virtually simultaneously, but when the Alliance MVP saw the big former boxer charging him, he begged off, only to get a clothesline. Zed continued the assault, taking down the Jersey Boys with big right hands and clotheslines, body slams and back drops.  
  
Soon enough, Zed nailed the Z-Slam on Kanyon and the Jawbuster on DDP, then tagged in Zeta, who went to the top for a Zetasault. He crashed into Kanyon after the twisting body attack, then hooked the leg for the pin as Zed kicked DDP out of the ring. 1... 2... 3! "Song 2" played as the Z-Men celebrated. They posed on the ropes, then stepped back down just in time to see DDP slide in the ring with a chair.  
  
Zed clobbered him with a right hand, then lifted him into a spinebuster position. Zeta bounced off the ropes, flashed the "Z" hand-sign, then ran forward, leaping up and catching DDP around the neck with a clothesline neckbreaker as the fans chanted "Z-D!" Zed completed the spinebuster as Page came down hard. "Song 2" started back up again as the two left up the ramp.  
  
Zeta grinned at Zed, then pointed at him with both hands. "You the man!"  
  
Zed grinned and pointed back. "No, you the man!" "No, you the man!" "No, _you_ the man!" This continued as they headed toward the back.  
  
* * *  
  
"The following contest is scheduled for one fall."  
  
The lights dimmed as operatic music started. _"Christian!" _a choir sang. _"CHRISTIAN! At last, you are on your oooOOOOWN!" _Rock music started up as gold-tinted videos played. Gold sparks rained from the overhead structure and fountained beneath the screen before cutting off, revealing the treacherous Christian posing with his arms outstretched, then gesturing as if conducting an opera. "Introducing first, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, weighing in at 215 pounds... CHRISTIAN!"  
  
The fans were booing as the "deranged maestro" (to use J.R.'s name for him) came to the ring. He removed his yellow sunglasses and faced the ramp as jazz-like music played for his opponent. "And his opponent, from Austin, Texas, weighing in at 268 pounds... "THE ONE" BILLY GUNN!"  
  
As soon as Gunn hit the ring, Christian pounced on him. He began pummeling on him with right hands, then sent him into the opposite corner, only to have his whip reversed. Gunn caught him with a clothesline, then threw him face-first to the mat and began stomping on him. Finally, the former AssMan sent him into the ropes, but Christian ducked a clothesline, only to get a hiptoss instead. Gunn covered. 1... 2 -- but Christian got a shoulder up.  
  
Billy Gunn continued the assault with right hands, grabbed him by the hair when he tried to escape, then gave him a jackhammer for another two-count. Angrily, the former DX member threw Christian into the corner for one right hand, then a second before arguing with Teddy Long about the closed fists. "The One" then whipped Christian across the ring and followed for an avalanche, only to meet the turnbuckle as the Canadian slipped aside. He quickly grabbed Gunn from behind and gave him a backbreaker back onto his knee before stomping on him. Gunn started to get up, but got a forearm in the back. Christian then scooped him under the arm and dropped him on his knee in a backbreaker before covering. 1... 2... and Gunn got a shoulder up.  
  
Frustrated, Christian smacked him in the face, then choked him on the second rope for a four-count. Another right hand, and then Christian began stomping on him again. He pressed his boot into the back of Billy Gunn's head for a four-count, then got surprised by a punch to the stomach, followed by another, then more. Christian desperately raked Gunn's eyes to stop his momentum. As the larger wrestler covered his face, Christian positioned him in the corner for some right hands. Gunn tried to retaliate, and came off the ropes, but Christian kicked him in the stomach and appeared to be looking for a piledriver before Gunn hit a double-leg takedown. Standing up quickly, Gunn dropped backward and catapulted Christian into the corner.  
  
Both men were slow to get up, and when they got to their feet, the Canadian staggered into a series of right hands from the bigger Texan. Gunn sent him inot the ropes and caught him for a back body drop, then a clothesline and a cover. 1... 2... and Christian squeaked a shoulder up. Angry, Gunn whipped him into the corner and ran after him, only to get an elbow in the face. Christian charged out, but Gunn caught him for a tilt-a-whirl slam. 1... 2... and a shoulder up. By now, "The One" was getting ready to finish it off. He slapped his knee, signalling for the Fame-Asser, then going off the ropes. Christian got up and pulled the referee into his opponent's path, making him stop short. The treacherous Canadian retreated into the corner, then hit a double-leg takedown on Gunn as he moved in for the kill, then put his feet on the second rope for leverage as he held Gunn down for the 1... 2... 3.  
  
Christian's celebration was cut short, however, as Gunn popped back up with a lariat and a right hand before clotheslining him to the outside. The frustrated Gunn lifted Christian up and dropped him on the barricade, then grabbed a handful of hair and dragged him to the steel stairs, setting him up for the One and Only off the steps. Before he could deliver it however, Christian's leg snapped back into Gunn's groin. He turned around, then shoved his opponent into the barricade off the steps, then grabbed a chair from under the ring and clobbered him in the head. Teddy Long futiltely tried to convince Christian to stop as the "deranged maestro" grabbed the timekeeper's chair and placed it on the floor, positioning Gunn's head on top of it. He raised the other chair skyward, then smashed it into the other chair, sandwiching Gunn's skull with the One-Man Conchairto. Christian's rock opera music began playing again as he turned a blank expression to Long and left up the ramp, finally breaking into a smirk as he did so.  
  
* * *  
  
"No, _you _the man!" Zed and Zeta were still at it as they headed toward their locker room.  
  
"No, _you_ the man!" Zeta protested with a grin.  
  
Zed grinned and raised his hands, extending his forefingers. "That's right, I'm the man." He opened the door to their locker room and was promptly smashed in the face with a steel chair. Zeta stared in shock as The Hurricane dropped the chair, then tried to retreat, only to be met by a double superkick from The Hurricane and Lance Storm.  
  
The Alliance members stood over the fallen Z-Men. "How's that for a soft hit, boys?" Lance sneered before walking off.  
  
"Behold!" The Hurricane declared, standing over Zed. "None shall strike I--" and he hurri-posed, "--The Hurricane!--" and back to normal, "--without facing my hurri-wrath!" He leapt away down the hall, emitting a "Whooosh!" sound effect as he did so.  
  
* * *  
  
Michael Cole looked decidedly nervous as he stood at the interview set with The Storm. He wore his _GeT__ SeT To GeT WReCKeD _T-Shirt, a bandage on his forehead, and his title belt on his shoulder. He looked around, peering in both directions, but not looking at Cole as the announcer spoke. "Matthew Skinner, in recent weeks, you've become much more... some might say 'obsessed' with keeping your WCW Championship--"  
  
"Obsessed?" The Storm said, finally turning to look at Cole. "You say I'm obsessed with keeping _my _title?" He held it up and pointed at it. "See that, Cole? That little nameplate right there, right under that stain that was DDP's blood? Tell me, Cole, what does that nameplate say?"  
  
Cole hesitated, then said, "Matthew Skinner."  
  
"And tell me, Cole, what's my name?"  
  
"...Matthew Skinner."  
  
"So, if my name's on this title, that must mean it belongs to me." The Storm dropped it back on his shoulder. "And if I seem obsessed with keeping it, Michael, that's because Shane McMahon is doing everything he can to try and take it away from me. He puts me in a match every night, he puts it on the line in tag team matches. Hell, tonight, he's putting me in a goddamn handicap match. So excuse me if I have to be a bit more merciless and a lot more aggressive in taking out threats to my title."  
  
He was about to continue, but then out of nowhere, a two-by-four was broken on his back, getting a shout of pain from The Storm. He staggered as Booker T yelled, "Yeah! Get some!" The Force of Nature started to stand back up, but then Test lunged in and delivered his massive Boot to the Head, knocking him down. "See you in the ring later, sucka!" Booker yelled as the two left.  
  
Cole had retreated long ago, but the cameraman lingered as The Storm got up to one knee, holding his face. He checked his palm for blood, then snarled, standing and stretching his neck. "Goddamn bastards..."  
  
* * *  
  
"The following Tag Team Handicap Match is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the WCW Championship!"  
  
_"Test. This is a test. Test, test, this is a test." _Rock music played as Test came down the ramp to a decent set of boos from the crowd. "Introducing first, representing the Alliance, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, weighing in at 282 pounds... TEST!" The turncoat hit the ring and climbed up to the second rope, raising his hands in the air.  
  
_"Can you dig it, sucka?" _Hip hop music started up Booker T came out, wearing black trunks with white designs on the back. He bounced back on one foot, then raised his hands in the air, flame pyros going off behind him on the stage. "And his tag team partner, also representing the Alliance, from Houston, Texas, weighing in at 250 pounds... BOOKER T!"  
  
Booker hit the ring and paced with Test as they faced the ramp. Booker's music was replaced by a rumbling thunder drum-roll. The lights went out with a cymbal crash of lightning, and the voice whispered, _"This is your Storm Warning." _Cold Steel struck up as lightning pyros exploded at the stage, and The Storm himself walked out through the theatrical smoke. "And their opponent, representing the WWF, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 240 pounds... he is the WCW Champion... Matthew Skinner... THE STORM!"  
  
The Storm started down the ramp, but stopped as his music was interrupted by the CIW bumper, following by the opening chords of the Union Underground's "Until You Crack." The fans popped as Billy Rose walked out, smirking a bit. He waited for a moment as the fans started up a few _"C-I-W!" _chants. He had a microphone. "I think everyone knows by now that I brought CIW in to level the playing field against the Alliance. So therefore, I am hereby making this match a tag team match!"  
  
"Hey, whoa whoa whoa whoa!" Shane McMahon suddenly ran out on the stage, getting in Rose's face. "Who the hell do you think you are? This is a WCW Championship Match! I'm the Owner of WCW! What makes you think you can go ahead and change the match?"  
  
Rose smirked. "Two things, Shane-O. One: I'm the guy that can, has, and will kick your ass again. And two: if you don't want this to be a tag team match, take it up with The Storm's partner." The CIW started up again as he smirked and pointed below the arch. _"Break it! (Break it!) Break it! (Break it!)" _The fans started yelling louder as Brick emerged, wearing his _Do Not Taunt _sleeveless shirt.  
  
Shane looked decidedly nervous as Brick walked past him. The young McMahon didn't really want to try talking down the Breaker-Man. The Storm, for his part, was staring up the ramp at Rose and Brick, his expression unreadable. Brick was about halfway down the ramp when Booker and Test double-teamed the WCW Champion from behind. Brick quickly joined the party and pulled Test off of The Storm, smashing him across the face with a massive right hand and then throwing him into the barricade. The Storm reversed a whip by Booker and sent him careening into the steel stairs, then swung him around and rolled him into the ring.  
  
Booker quickly recovered from the attack and started smacking the Force of Nature in the back with his hands before pulling him up and putting him in the corner, where he delivered a knife-edge chop to the chest. The Storm rocked back from the blow, then suddenly snapped back and delivered one of his own. Booker reeled and chopped back. Skinner just absorbed it and fired one right back. Booker chopped, then Skinner, then Booker, then Skinner, who began hitting open-handed slaps to the chest on the backswing. Chop and slap and chop and slap until he drove Booker to the mat.  
  
The Storm grabbed the former five-time WCW Champion's arm and started looking for a hammerlock, but Booker quickly crawled for the ropes. Test stepped in and delivered a stiff kick to the midsection before leaving, giving Booker the time to lunge and tag in his partner proper. Test took over and blocked a fierce swing from The Storm to deliver one of his own, driving the Texan back into the neutral corner. There, he began to deliver right hands and back elbows before finally lifting his foot up and pushing back on his opponent's jaw, choking and stretching him.  
  
Referee Nick Patrick made him stop after a moment, so Test whipped him across and followed behind with a big corner clothesline. He then threw him face-first into the mat and tagged in Booker T, who helped Test stand The Storm upright and double-whip him into the ropes. They caught him on the rebound for a big double back body drop, causing the Force of Nature to crash painfully to the mat. Booker went for a cover. 1... 2... and The Storm kicked out. The Booker-Man pulled him to his feet and whipped him into the ropes for a back elbow, then a stalling kneedrop to the ribs. Another cover, and another two-count.  
  
Booker angrily argued with Patrick, who shrugged helplessly. Booker turned back to The Storm, who suddenly rolled him up for a very slow two-count. The Force of Nature got up and glared at Patrick, who told him to back off and pointed to his WCW patch. The Storm sneered and gestured around his waist, then gave him an Italian arm-chop. He turned back to Booker, who raked him across the eyes before coming off the ropes with a clothesline. "Git up, sucka!" the Booker-Man demanded. When The Storm started to do so, Booker came off the ropes, looking for the Scissor Kick, but Skinner had it scouted. He dodged back and suddenly grabbed Booker in a half-nelson and delivered that vicious snap suplex.  
  
The Storm, however, was also a bit fatigued. He slowly crawled toward Brick, who was anxiously reaching out to make the tag. Nick Patrick, however, was deliberatly not watching when the tag was made, busy watching a mote of dust go by in the other direction. So when Brick got in the ring, Patrick cut him off and indicated that he hadn't seen a tag. Test quickly slipped in and dragged The Storm toward the hostile corner as Brick angrily grabbed Patrick's shirt.  
  
Test hurled The Storm to the outside, where he lay in a heap, starting to get up when all of a sudden Rhyno once again jumped from the crowd and promptly barreled into him at full speed. "GORE! GORE! GORE!" Heyman exulted as the Man-Beast left through the crowd. Test turned back as Brick finally intimidated Nick Patrick into admitting the tag. The Breaker-Man immediately flattened Test with a big clothesline, then a second. Booker ran in and Brick grabbed him in a Sidewalk Slam.  
  
Brick stood up and threw his arms up at Test. "Get up!" he roared, grabbing the turncoat by the throat and delivering a ferocious Breaker Chokeslam. Booker staggered to his feet, and Brick grabbed him by the head and hurled him over the top rope. He descended into the cover on Test. 1... 2--  
  
And out of nowhere, The Storm dropped an elbow on Brick's head, then started smacking him in the back of the head with his fists before kicking him in the jaw, stunning the big man and knocking him back in the corner. Then everyone realized The Storm had brought a steel chair into the ring as well. Nick Patrick tried to reason with him, but that was a wasted effort. The chair came up and down on Test's face, causing his mouth to start bleeding. Booker came up on the apron and got a blistering chairshot to the skull. Down he went. Patrick started calling for the DQ, yelling at The Storm, who whipped around and drove Patrick down to the mat and out of the ring from one vile chairshot.  
  
Brick started to get to his feet in the corner, attracting The Storm's attention. He bashed Brick in the head with the chair, staggering the big man. A second chairshot knocked him back against the turnbuckle. A third chairshot seemed to drive Brick semi-conscious. He grabbed the chair on the fourth swing, but the crazed Force of Nature kicked him in the stomach and then bashed him in the back before braining him again, succeeding in finally knocking him down to the mat.  
  
The fans were clamoring a bit in shock as The Storm angrily hurled the chair to the mat with such force that it bounced through the ropes and clattered against the side of the announce table. He rolled outside and grabbed his title belt, then started alongside the ring toward the back. As the officals came down to check on the carnage in and outside of the ring, The Storm suddenly stopped and turned around. His gaze was fixed on Heyman. The Alliance commentator blinked as the Force of Nature started walking toward him. Heyman started getting nervous and stood up, backing up as far as his chair would allow.  
  
The Storm started to charge toward him with obvious ill intent, but the officials cut him off and started pushing and dragging him away. "My God, The Storm's out of control," J.R. remarked.  
  
"You're damn right he's out of control!" Heyman shouted. "That man should by all rights be locked away in a padded cell! Mark my words, J.R., The Storm is losing his mind!"  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: The Alliance finally crosses the line and The Storm snaps, going on a rampage that goes straight for the leaders of the Alliance.  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
July 25, 2002


	19. Crossing the Line

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Thursday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: The Alliance finally crosses the line and The Storm snaps, going on a rampage that goes straight for the leaders of the Alliance.  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: Triple H and the Alliance had a public meeting at the ring, in which Triple H ordered the Alliance to seek and destroy anyone connected to the WWF or CIW. Backstage, the Z-Men ran into The Hurricane before their match, and Zed knocked out the superhero after "losing" a "Soft Hitting Contest." **Zed & Zeta def. DDP & Kanyon.** **Christian def. Billy Gunn **and then hit him with a One-Man Conchairto. The Z-Men returned to their locker room after their match, where they were promptly attacked by Lance Storm & The Hurricane. The Storm cut a promo reiterating that the WCW Championship belonged to him, saying he had to be more merciless and aggressive to keep it against Shane's trickery, right before Booker T & Test jumped him from behind. Prior to the main event, however, Billy Rose came out and (despite Shane's protestations) made the handicap match a tag match, with Brick as The Storm's partner. **The Storm & Brick v. Booker T & Test ended in a "no contest" **after The Storm attacked Brick with a steel chair for trying to score the pinfall. He then hit everything that moved with the same chair before turning to leave, then suddenly changed his mind and started toward Paul Heyman at commentary before the officials managed to drag him away.  
  
FYI: List of Champions: **WWF **- Triple H (Alliance); **Intercontinental **- Edge (WWF); **European **- Eddie Guerrero (WWF); **Hardcore **- Rob Van Dam (Alliance); **Light-Heavyweight** - X-Pac (WWF); **WWF Tag Team** - Dudley Boyz (Alliance); **Women's** - Rain (WWF); **WCW **- The Storm (WWF); **U.S.** - Victor E (CIW); **Cruiserweight **- Billy Kidman (Alliance); **WCW Tag Team** - Undertaker & Kane (WWF)  
  
**Chapter 19: Crossing the Line  
  
Thursday: Smackdown, February 13**  
  
The top of _Smackdown _began with a tag team match. The Hardys fought against the up-and-coming Alliance team of Lance Storm and The Hurricane. Both teams used some high-flying manuevers before the Alliance team got the advantage, isolating Jeff from Matt and wearing the daredevil down.  
  
Before long, Lance was cinching in the Maple Leaf submission on Jeff, who managed to get to the ropes. The stern Canadian started to pull him back to the center of the ring to do it again when Jeff sprang off the mat with his free foot and drove it into Lance's abdomen, knocking him down in a reverse enzuigiri. Jeff lunged and made the tag to Matt. The dark-haired Hardy hit the ring and started feeding right hands to the heels, eventually scoop-slamming The Hurricane and hitting his second-rope "guns" legdrop.  
  
Lance broke the pin, only to get attacked by a slightly limping Jeff Hardy, who threw him to the outside, then dove through the ropes after him. In the ring, Matt started to go for the Twist of Fate, but The Hurricane blocked it and pulled Matt back down into the Eye of the Hurricane for the pinfall. 1... 2... 3. The fans booed a bit as the self-proclaimed superhero stood up and did his hurri-pose in victory.  
  
Then the boos turned to cheers as the Z-Men jumped out of the crowd. Zed grabbed Lance and promptly Z-Slammed him on the floor as Zeta went to the top and hit a missle dropkick to The Hurricane. The smaller Z-Man looked up as Jeff climbed to the apron. The two locked eyes, then Zeta pointed up before going over to the corner again. The Hurricane lay almost perfectly in the middle of the ring. Jeff went to the top, flashed the gun, then sailed off the top in the Swanton Bomb, rolling off as Zeta stood up on the top rope in the opposite corner. He flashed the CIW hand-sign. "Snooooooogans!" he screamed before flipping off in the Snoogans Star Press, landing squarely on The Hurricane, who curled up in a fetal position from the double impact.  
  
Zeta stood up and whooped, flashing a metalhead sign and slapping palms with Jeff. On the outside, Zed stomped Lance a bit, then nodded to Matt, flashing him a thumbs-up before leaving up the ramp with Zeta. The Hardys posed a bit as Lance dragged his partner from the ring, then looked up the ramp at the retreating Z-Men. Zed pointed back at him. "That was for Monday, jackass."  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, Rain was busy stretching and doing exercises to limber up for her upcoming title defense. Coach ran up to her. "Rain, if I might have a word? People are speculating and wondering whether or not your boyfriend, Matthew Skinner, will be here tonight, and--"  
  
Rain stood up and faced him. "Coach, I've never known Matthew to miss a show if he could avoid it. Considering how pissed off he is at the Alliance right now, I would definitely bet on him coming to _Smackdown _tonight."  
  
"But, Rain, what about the questions about The Storm's sanity after what he did last Monday night--"  
  
Rain glared at him. "You think I know what's going on inside Matthew's head? I haven't been able to talk to him in weeks. I don't know how grounded he is in reality, but I do know this -- when he gets here tonight, I'm going to look him in the eyes and get a straight answer from him." She picked up her Women's Championship belt and put it on her shoulder. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a title defense."  
  
She shouldered on by Coach, who stammered a bit as he tried to think of another question to ask, then shrugged and turned around, bumping into a glowering Rhyno, who sneered at the departing Rain before stealthily following.  
  
* * *  
  
Rain's opponent for the night was Ivory, with the champion looking for retribution after Ivory's attack on her after she defected to the Alliance. Both women seemed to be evenly matched, exchanging blows and sequences in the early going before Rain started to get the advantage. The Texan woman began to whip and toss Ivory about the ring, beginning to wear the former RTCer down.  
  
Soon, however, Ivory got a few blows in and started to turn it around, landing several suplexes and armdrags to start to tire out Rain. She scoop slammed her, causing Rain to roll onto her stomach as she clutched her back. Ivory took advantage of this by dropping an elbow on her back, then a second. Rain rolled back onto her back, arching her back with pain. The diva defector then covered her for a two-count.  
  
Ivory stood up and angrily snapped at the referee, then leaned over Rain, taunting her. "I'm going to be the champ!" she shouted, but then Rain struck. The Texan woman grabbed one of Ivory's arms and tangled her legs in hers, snaring her in a small package for a two-count. Rain got back up, but Ivory kicked her in the stomach and then suddenly hit her with the Poison Ivory facebuster. She covered again, but only got a two-count again as Rain got a foot up on the rope.  
  
Ivory angrily pulled Rain up and prepared to hit the Poison Ivory again, aiming a kick. The champion, however, had it scouted now. She caught the kick, spun Ivory around, then suddenly hooked her and nailed the Downdraft. As she prepared to cover, however, she became aware of a rising chorus of jeers and boos from the crowd. She turned to look outside the ring and saw the source.  
  
Outside the ring, climbing up the steps, was Test. The large ex-bodyguard stepped over the top rope and sneered as he looked at Rain. She backed up, but bumped into someone else. She turned around and saw Rhyno leering at her. The fans could sense what was coming and were yelling with protest. Rhyno suddenly drove his fist into Rain's stomach, forcing the wind out of her.  
  
The crowd was booing as Rhyno held her up, just in time for Test's massive Boot to the Head to drive her to the mat. The referee was calling for the bell for the disqualification, but Test threw him from the ring as he tried to stop the attack. Test stepped out of the way as an injured and gasping Rain struggled to pull herself to her feet in the corner. But now she was in perfect position for something else. Rhyno was crouched in the opposite corner, beckoning for her to get up. The fans (as well as Michael Cole at ringside) were imploring Rain to stay down, to get out of the ring, to do anything but get up and turn around. Alas, it was not to be. The Women's Champion faced Rhyno just in time to get Gored. Beauty and Man-Beast hit the mat with a horrifying _CRASH_.  
  
Rhyno stood up, yelling, then climbed up on the second rope, leaning out to glower at the crowd, thumping his chest. "Who's da man?!" he roared. "Who's da fucking man?!" He stepped back down, sneering at the doubled-over Rain, who was curled into a fetal position on the mat. Test smirked and backed out of the ring and up the ramp with Rhyno, as Ivory had retreated much earlier. Referee Mike Chioda slid back in the ring, checked on the fallen Women's Champion, then summoned out the trainers and EMTs.  
  
* * *  
  
Paul Heyman laughed a bit as Rhyno and Test emerged backstage near the parking area. "That was fantastic!" the Mad Scientist of Sports Entertainment declared. "We'll send a message to Matthew Skinner that if we can't break him down, we'll break down everyone he knows!"  
  
"Great," Rhyno grinned in his own inimitable way.  
  
"Now, we're done with you for now," Heyman told him. He placated the ECWer when he started to protest. "I know you want to get at Skinner later tonight when he shows up, but that would be a bad idea. When he finds out what happened to his precious girlfriend, he's going to go after you, and we want to crack this bastard. The longer he goes before getting to you, the more easily we can crack him. Just go for now, but stay nearby."  
  
Rhyno nodded unhappily and got into the car idling next to Paul E. The Man-Beast drove off and out of the garage. Heyman chuckled evilly, then turned to regard Test. The defector asked, "What about me, Paul? You want me to leave too? `Cuz once The Storm finds out what me and Rhyno did, he's gonna come after me."  
  
The ECW mastermind shook his head. "No, you're gonna stay in the Alliance locker room. Crazy as The Storm might be, he isn't crazy enough to go through all of our guys to get to you. Just stay there, and everything'll be fine." He looked up as an ambulance started to pull into the garage, then pulled Test back into the hallway and escorted him to the Alliance locker room.  
  
Paul Heyman's timing couldn't have been better. Because as the ambulance opened its doors, The Storm pulled into the garage in a black Honda Civic. He stepped out of his car, shouldering his duffel bag and then his WCW Championship belt before noticing the EMTs going into the hall. He frowned, following them a bit, then spotted who they were helping out of the arena. He dropped his bag and his belt in shock. "Claire!" he shouted, running up and shoving aside an EMT as he reached the gurney. "Claire! Are you okay? What happened? Who did this, Claire? Who did this to you?" He looked up and grabbed the nearest EMT by the collar. "Who did this to her?!"  
  
The EMT raised his hands. "Hey, man, I dunno--"  
  
The Force of Nature snarled at him, tightening his grip. "What do you mean you don't know?! Who did this to her?!"  
  
"Mr. Skinner, please, calm down." It was Commissioner Regal. Skinner thrust the EMT aside, but kept walking along with the gurney. Regal ran to keep up. "It was Rhyno and Test, but you can't get at them now. That miserable excuse for a human being Paul Heyman sent Rhyno out of the arena, and he's got Test surrounded by the Alliance roster."  
  
Skinner didn't appear to be really listening, he was still trying to coax Rain to look at him. The combination of Rhyno and Test's attacks had rendered her unconscious. The trainers and a few referees were following along as they got back to the ambulance. They loaded Rain inside, as The Storm prepared to leave with them before a voice shouted at him. "Hey, Storm, where do you think you're going?"  
  
The Storm looked up to see Shane standing not too far away. The young McMahon was smirking. "You can't leave."  
  
"Says who?" growled Skinner.  
  
"Says me," Shane said. "The Owner of WCW. And since you're the WCW Champion, that means you have to concede to my will. And I'm ordering you not to leave this arena, or I will strip you of that title."  
  
The Storm snarled and stepped off the back of the ambulance. "You trying to tell me I've got a match tonight?" He glanced back at the EMTs as they shut the doors and began to drive off.  
  
Shane waited until the ambulance was up the ramp before smirking again and answering. "Oh, I'm not saying that. I haven't decided whether or not you've got a match tonight. But don't leave. I might book a match for you while you're gone, and since you wouldn't be able to compete, I'd have to strip you of the WCW Title."  
  
This wasn't the right thing to say. The Storm lunged toward the young McMahon, but the trainers and referees quickly stepped in to hold him back. "You little bastard!!" roared the WCW Champion. He tried to shove his way through the officials. "Lemme go, I wanna wrap my hands around his fucking neck!" Shane quickly retreated as the officials tried to calm down the enraged Storm. "The fucking prick! I'm gonna kill him! I'll kill all of them!"  
  
* * *  
  
Shortly after this, Chris Jericho had a one-on-one match against Booker T. The former five-time WCW Champion was the dominant force through most of the match, but eventually, Y2J managed to pull out a rally and began fighting back, blistering Booker's chest with knife-edge chops before the Houston native ducked Jericho's flying "jalapeño" forearm attack and hit a Harlem Side-kick to reclaim the momentum.  
  
Booker slammed Jericho in the ring, then went to the top rope to set him up for a missile dropkick. When he jumped, however, the Canadian caught Booker's legs and started to turn him over for the Walls of Jericho. The WCWer started shouting in pain as he was turned over, then scrambled for the ropes. Once he grabbed them, Jericho released him and turned away to raise his arms in the air to the crowd. Booker slowly got to his feet, only to fall prey to Jericho's bulldog. Moving swiftly, the Ayatollah of Rock-and-Rollah ran to the ropes and sprang off the second one in the Lionsault for the 1... 2... 3.  
  
Jericho yelled and posed as he was declared the winner, but unfortunately Booker still had enough wits about him to roll out of the ring and grab the ring bell. As Y2J turned back around, the Booker-Man swung the heavy wooden backing into his skull. Jericho fell to the mat as Booker stared at his right hand, then dropped down to execute the spin-a-roony. Once he was done, he turned back to Jericho and stood over him. "You just got yo' pretty-boy ass kicked by a five-time WCW Champion, sucka!"  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, Stone Cold Steve Austin was being interviewed by Coach. "Stone Cold, you just saw Chris Jericho get attacked by--"  
  
Austin interrupted him. "What?"  
  
Coach blinked, then started again, "Chris Jericho got--" "What?" "Jericho--" "What?"  
  
Coach held out the mike to talk, but Austin waved it off. "No, go ahead." He waited until Coach opened his mouth, then cut in: "What? Chris Jericho got his ass whupped by Booker T? What? Jericho got his ass whupped by the Booker-Man? What? The five-time WCW Champion? What? Is that supposed to concern me? Should I be worried about Y2J? Am I supposed to be upset? Coach, Stone Cold Steve Austin don't give a rat's ass about Chris Jericho, about Booker T, or about the Alliance. There's only one thing in this world that Stone Cold cares about, and that's the World Wrestling Federation Championship."  
  
He paused, tilted his head a bit. "Wait a sec, I take that back. There's two things in this world that Stone Cold Steve Austin cares about. One is where I'm gonna get my next beer. The _other _is the World Wrestling Federation Championship, which just so happens to be held by Triple H. What? I said Triple H. What?" Now the fans had picked up on the 'What' and chanted along with him. Austin continued, pausing where necessary. "The Cerebral Assassin. [What?] The Game. [What?] What sorta Game is he supposed to be, Coach? [What?] Monopoly? [What?] Parcheesi? [What?] Pinochle? [What?] Triple H likes to talk about how he's that [What?] damn [What?] good, [What?] but that don't impress Stone Cold Steve Austin one bit! [What?] Stone Cold Steve Austin is going into _No Way Out _and walkin' out with the World Wrestling Federation Championship, and that's the bottom line--"  
  
"Wait a second!" came an indignant voice. Up walked Kurt Angle, who pulled Coach's mike to himself. "What makes you so sure you're going to face Triple H at _No Way Out?_ If anyone should be facing him, it's me!"  
  
Austin pulled the mike back to himself. "What?" ["What?" parroted the fans.]   
  
Angle snatched the mike back. "I said I should be facing him!"  
  
"What?" ["What?"]  
  
"Me!" "What?" ["What?"] "It should be me!" "What?" ["What?"] "Triple H didn't even beat me fair-and-square at the _Royal Rumble_! I deserve a rematch!" "What?" ["What?"]  
  
Angle's cheek twitched as he glared at Austin. "Stop saying that!" "What? Stop saying what?" "That!" "Stop saying what?" "Exactly!" "You want me to stop saying what?" "Yes!" "Fine, tell me what you want me to stop saying." "What!" "I said tell me what you want me to stop saying." "What!" "Whassa matter, you deaf, boy?"  
  
Angle looked about ready to explode, but then Commissioner William Regal stepped into view. "Gentlemen, gentlemen, before you start tearing into each other, I should inform you that I've spoken with Triple H, and I've already told him he's to put his WWF Championship up against Stone Cold at _No Way Out_--"  
  
"Wait, what about me!?" Angle complained. [Elsewhere in the arena, the fans chanted, "What?"] "I never lost fair-and-square to Triple H!" ["What?"]  
  
Regal calmed him down. "And I've booked a match between yourself and Chris Jericho at _No Way Out _as well. His WWF Title-shot at _Wrestlemania_will be on the line. So, if you win, Kurt, you'll either face Triple H -- which means you'll get your rematch, or you'll face Stone Cold -- and from the looks of things, it looks like you two have some unfinished business."  
  
Angle paused for a moment, then nodded. "All right, that's fine with me." He then pointed at Austin. "You'd better hope you don't beat Triple H, `cuz I'll snap your ankle in two!" ["What?" chanted the fans.] "Oh, it's true." ["What?"] "It's damn true!"  
  
Angle strode off, and Regal muttered an aside to Austin. "The dear boy seems quite peeved at you."  
  
Austin looked at him. "What?"  
  
* * *  
  
Just before the main event, the TitanTron suddenly lit up as the lights dimmed. The drumroll/thunder started up and the fans rose to their feet as the lights flashed and went out in time with a crash of thunder/cymbals. _"This is your Storm Warning!" _The music of Cold Steel roared up as the lights came back, showing that Matthew Skinner was marching down the ramp. He was wearing his _GeT__ SeT To GeT WReCKeD _T-Shirt and carrying his WCW Title in one hand as he hit the ring. He wasted no time posing. He grabbed a microphone, swung about and faced the ramp. "Cut the music!" he snapped. Obediently, the producer did so.  
  
The Storm paced in the ring, swinging his title belt up onto his shoulder as he swung about to face the ramp. He pointed with his free hand. "I'm gonna make this short and to the point -- Test, get your ass down to this ring so I can shove my boot up it!" The fans popped at this challenge, and started chanting, _"Skinner! Skinner!" _The Storm made no sign that he'd heard them. He continued pacing in a circle, glaring up at the TitanTron as Test refused to emerge. "Test, I don't have all night. Either you get your ass down here, or I'm gonna march right back there, kick the holy living crap out of whoever gets in my way, beat you into a bloody heap, and then drag you out here to finish the job!"  
  
He paced for another minute before the TitanTron lit up. "This is Extreme" started playing, however, as the purple logo of _ECW _flashed on the screen in between flashes of the word _EXTREME._ The fans started booing heavily as Paul Heyman came to the ring, smirking in his inimitable evil way. He stepped into the ring and took a mike as Skinner tilted his head at him. Heyman prepared to speak, but The Storm cut him off. "Unless Test got short, fat, bald, and American... you damn sure ain't Test."  
  
Heyman waved it off. "Mr. Skinner--"  
  
"No!" The Storm cut him off and took a step forward. "I don't want you to open your damn mouth unless it's to tell Test to get his ass out here!"  
  
"Mr. Skinner," Heyman started again, "I came out here to tell you--"  
  
"Are you still talking?" Skinner interrupted. "You must be even stupider than you look, Heyman. I told you to get your overweight ass out of this ring and to get Test out here."  
  
"Mr. Skinner," Heyman said loudly, attempting drown out the _"Skinner!" _chants. "I came out here to tell you exactly how you can rectify this whole situation."  
  
"I'm about ready to rectify your ass, Paul," Skinner growled.  
  
Heyman ignored this. "All you have to do to stop the constant attacks by Rhyno and Test and the rest of the Alliance is lose the WCW Championship." The Storm glowered, sliding his belt off his shoulder as he held it in one hand. Heyman smiled. "That's right. All your troubles will go away when you just give up your title."  
  
"Right," snapped the Force of Nature. "Like losing my title is going to take back what you and your goon squad did to Rain!"  
  
"Hey, don't get snippy at me just because _you _weren't here to save your girlfriend!" The fans immediately knew that Heyman had scored big, giving a big _"Oooh!" _as The Storm turned away angrily. He dropped his mike as he quietly seethed.  
  
Heyman continued. "If you choose to keep fighting, however, you should know that you have no chance of retaining your title at _No Way Out_! Because you're not going to be facing a man, Mr. Skinner. You're going to be facing a monster, a Man-Beast, you're going to be facing Rhyno. Rhyno is going to show you no remorse, Storm. He doesn't give a damn about you, your girlfriend, or your little quest to bring 'honor' to the WCW Championship. All he cares about is inflicting pain and suffering on you and anybody who makes the mistake of being your friend."  
  
The Storm wasn't looking at Heyman. He was looking down at his title belt as his other hand rubbed at his bandaged forehead, at the scabbing wound that had been repeatedly busted open over the past few weeks. Heyman was still talking. "At _No Way Out, _Storm, you're going to come face-to-face with Rhyno. He's going to stand in front of you, and he's going to look you straight in the eyes." The ECW mastermind took a deep breath, then thrust his fist forward, screaming, "_GORE! GORE! G--_"  
  
His third cry of "_GORE!_" was cut off as The Storm abruptly swung around, bringing his title belt up and directly into Heyman's throat. Paul E's shout turned into a croaking sound as he grabbed at his injured throat, falling to the mat. The Storm stood over him, glaring coldly down at him. He picked up Heyman's mike and said simply, "I grow weary of the noises you make."  
  
That said, he hauled Heyman to his feet, then grabbed his ponytail, pulling his head back and exposing his neck. The fans were clamoring, cheering this on. The Storm swung his hand up and around, chopping Heyman in the throat again. Another choking sound came from the Mad Scientist of Sports Entertainment as he fell to the mat again. The Storm snarled and crouched next to him, holding up the belt. "You see this, Paul, this is mine! I'm not giving this up without inflicting a lot of pain and suffering of my own, Paul, and you and the whole fucking Alliance are going to learn just what _agony _really is!" He grabbed Heyman's fat face and pressed it against the gold belt. "Starting with you, Paul!"  
  
The fans' cheering slowly turned into troubled murmurs as The Storm suddenly turned Heyman onto his back and grabbed his arm in a hammerlock. He then knelt on the twisted arm and applied the Necksnapper, making Heyman scream hoarsely. With a snarl, the Force of Nature shifted his grip so it was firmly on Heyman's neck, not his jaw. With the pressure on the choke, Heyman's face turned a disturbing shade of purple and his eyes bulged.  
  
Referees and officials came sprinting out, and futilely tried to pull The Storm off of Paul Heyman before he killed him. The Storm merely pulled back and screamed to the heavens, "Come on! Come on, let's hear that snap! Let's hear that fucking snap!" Heyman had stopped moving by now, his face turning darker and darker shades of purple. Finally Alliance people started to come down the ramp, and finally The Storm released Heyman, standing and scattering the officials, grabbing his title belt and smashing the first Alliance member who happened to get on the apron, that being Shawn Stasiak.  
  
Paul Heyman lay motionless in the ring as The Storm paced around him, glaring hatefully at the Alliance superstars who surrounded him, held back by struggling officials. The Storm raised his title belt high as he stepped through a small path the refs had managed to make in the angry Alliance. He backed up the ramp, a small, disturbed smile resting on his lips as his gaze landed squarely on Shane McMahon, who had slid into the ring to check on his cohort. Shane-O Mac looked up and swallowed nervously as he saw that look, the look of a predator marking its next prey.  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: The Storm has finally snapped and has begun unleashing his rage on the Alliance. Paul Heyman was first. Will Shane be next?  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
August 19, 2002


	20. The Lunatic Fringe of Matthew Skinner

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Monday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: The Storm has finally snapped and has begun unleashing his rage on the Alliance. Paul Heyman was first. Will Shane be next?  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: **Lance Storm & The Hurricane def. Hardyz, **then the Z-Men showed up after the match to get retribution for the attack the preceding Monday. Backstage, Rain told Coach that she wasn't sure what was going on in The Storm's head, but that she was going to get answers. **Rain v. Ivory ended in a "no contest" **after Rhyno & Test came out and attacked her again, hospitalizing her. As she left for the hospital, The Storm arrived at the arena and started going berserk at seeing Rain hurt. Before he could leave with her, however, Shane McMahon shrewdly told him not to leave since he _might _have a match that night. That pissed off The Storm, who had to be restrained from hurting Shane. **Chris Jericho def. Booker T**, but got attacked after the match. Backstage, Stone Cold was interviewed by Coach, and cut another "What?" promo on Jericho and then Triple H. Kurt Angle took exception to Austin's belief that he would face Triple H at _No Way Out_ and started to get irritated at the "What?" chants. Fortunately, WWF Commissioner Regal defused the situation by informing the two men that they had matches signed for _No Way Out _-- Austin against Triple H for the WWF Title and Angle against Jericho for the _Wrestlemania_WWF Title-shot. Then, The Storm hit the ring and demanded Test come out to face punishment for attacking Rain. (Rhyno had been sent away earlier.) Paul Heyman came out instead and ignored The Storm's threats to tell him, in essence, give up the WCW Title or face more attacks like this. When The Storm refused, Heyman started talking about what Rhyno would do to him at the PPV, only to be abruptly attacked by The Storm, who hit him in the throat with his title belt, then put him in a choke-hold variant of the Necksnapper, nearly killing him. Finally, referees and Alliance members came out, causing The Storm to break the hold and apparently mark Shane as his next target.  
  
FYI: List of Champions: **WWF **- Triple H (Alliance); **Intercontinental **- Edge (WWF); **European **- Eddie Guerrero (WWF); **Hardcore **- Rob Van Dam (Alliance); **Light-Heavyweight** - X-Pac (WWF); **WWF Tag Team** - Dudley Boyz (Alliance); **Women's** - vacant; **WCW **- The Storm (WWF); **U.S.** - Victor E (CIW); **Cruiserweight **- Billy Kidman (Alliance); **WCW Tag Team** - Undertaker & Kane (WWF)  
  
**Chapter 20: The Lunatic Fringe of Matthew Skinner  
  
Monday: Raw, February 17**  
  
The fans were cheering like crazy as the opening pyros finished and the lights came up on 30,000 screaming fans, many bearing signs. At ringside, Jim Ross was seated at the announce table alone, Paul Heyman's seat conspicuously absent. "We welcome you to another edition of WWF _Raw_, less than a week away from _No Way Out _on Pay-Per-View! We come to you live from the Fleet Center in Boston, Massachusetts, with over 30,000 fans, and what a main event we have in store for you tonight, folks: the Game, Triple H, and Booker T will take on Kurt Angle and Chris Jericho in a big tag team match!"  
  
J.R. looked up as the camera focused on him. "As you can see, ladies and gentlemen, Paul Heyman is not here tonight, as he is still recuperating from the vicious attack he received from The Storm last week on _Smackdown! _I have no like for Heyman, but even this was going a bit too far." The TitanTron lit up with a video, showing Matthew Skinner's attack on Heyman -- first striking him in the throat with his WCW Title belt, hitting him again with his bare hand in the throat, then locking on a choke-hold variation of the Necksnapper. "Paul Heyman is still recovering from that attack by The Storm, which leaves me without a broadcast partner tonight, and--"  
  
He trailed off as the TitanTron lit up with the CIW logo as it played "Defy You" by the Offspring. The fans started cheering as Billy Rose emerged in his usual red shirt over a CIW T-Shirt. Beside him was a sandy-haired man with a full beard in a gray shirt under a black blazer. This man carried a bundle of papers in one hand. Rose smirked and waved to the cheering crowd, which started chanting, _"C-I-W! C-I-W!" _J.R. spoke, "Billy Rose on his way out here with some person I've never seen before... looks like they're going to address the crowd."  
  
Sure enough, Rose and his companion hit the ring, with the CIW leader taking a microphone. He smirked and raised his free hand in the CIW hand-sign before waiting out the chants. "Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for that fabulous ovation!" That got another round of applause. "A lot of you are probably wondering what I'm doing out here. Well, I'm here to address that empty chair next to good ol' J.R."  
  
He nodded to Ross, then faced the crowd again. "What happened last Thursday was regretable. While it couldn't have happened to a better person, even I didn't want to see The Storm snap like he did. I understand probably better than anyone what Matthew Skinner can be like when he's royally pissed off. And royally pissed off is what he was on _Smackdown!_ when he attacked Paul E. Dangerously Obnoxious."  
  
Rose paused a moment, then smirked. "However, I am a businessman, and as a businessman, I look for opportunities, and when I heard that Paulie wasn't going to be here tonight, I saw one. I took it upon myself to bring in somebody to replace Paulie at the announce table." He gestured to the sandy-haired man with him in the ring. "Ladies and gentlemen, permit me to introduce to you Mr. Jim Pickett, the voice of CIW for its entire history. I'm sure he'll be more than adequate to fill the space left by Paulie's considerable ass."  
  
Pickett smiled and waved to the cheering crowd, turned and shook Rose's hand, then stepped out of the ring and over to the announce desk, setting down his notes as he put on the headset. "Hey there, J.R., Jim Pickett, pleased to meet you." He shook J.R.'s hand, but stopped before he sat down in Heyman's chair. He turned to the timekeeper and accepted an aerosol can of disinfectant. He sprayed down the chair, then sat down. "Sorry about that."  
  
"It's quite all right, Jim," J.R. said, hiding his amusement.  
  
Pickett grinned. "Jim and Jim at ringside. God, the Internet's gonna have a field day with that one." He nodded and sketched a salute toward Rose, who nodded back and left up the ramp. "Just call me 'Pick.' It's great to be back in this business, J.R. I'm looking forward to doing this on a more permanent basis once the WWF and CIW put the Alliance out of business."  
  
* * *  
  
A six-man tag started off the night, with Zed, Zeta and Jeff Hardy facing off against the Dudleys and Lance Storm. Both Matt Hardy and The Hurricane were being kept backstage to prevent interference in the match. During the match, it was announced that at _No Way Out, _there would be a Four Corners Elimination Match for the WWF Tag Team Titles, with the Dudleys defending against the Z-Men, the Hardys, and Lance Storm & The Hurricane.  
  
During the six-man tag, the WWF/CIW team started off strong, working over Bubba Ray Dudley and Lance alternately until Zeta got isolated when D-Von hit a cheap shot before getting the tag. This started off a large amount of momentum for the Alliance team, with the Dudleys slowly picking apart the smaller Z-Man before tagging in Lance, who put his focus on Zeta's leg in preparation for the Maple Leaf.  
  
When Zeta crawled to the ropes during the submission, Lance tagged in D-Von, who whipped him into the corner. Zeta showed enough presence of mind to block the follow-up with a back elbow, then hoist himself to the top rope for a Zetasault. Both men were down, crawling to their corners to make the tags. Zeta tagged in Zed, while D-Von tagged Bubba Ray. The ex-boxer hit the ring and started throwing out hard right hands to every Alliance member in sight.  
  
Finally, Zed nailed Bubba with the Z-Slam, then looked up to the eager Jeff Hardy. Zed looked to the crowd and pointed at Jeff. "You want him?" he shouted to an enormous pop. He stepped over and tagged the young daredevil, who climbed to the top rope and sprang off in the Swanton Bomb. Zed started over to D-Von to finish him off, but then Lance Storm slipped back in the ring, spinning him around to crack him in the jaw with a superkick, knocking him over the top rope. Zeta sped into the ring and caught Lance with a flying crossbody that took them both over the top rope. (At commentary, Pickett accurately called this a "Cactus Clothesline," impressing J.R.)  
  
Zeta's little stunt distracted the referee, who was on the outside, trying to break up the brawl between Lance and Zeta, while Jeff tried to get his attention. Bubba Ray got up behind him, then grabbed him to hit the Bubba Bomb. D-Von called the ref into the ring for the three-count and the pinfall. The Alliance wasn't done yet, however. D-Von attacked Zeta from behind and rolled him into the ring, following to whip him into the ropes, catching him on the rebound to carry him back into Bubba's waiting hands for the 3-D.  
  
Outside the ring, Zed got up and drilled Lance with a Jawbuster, then grabbed a steel chair. He stormed the ring, chasing off the Dudleys, who collected Lance and their tag titles, retreating up the ramp, where they linked up with The Hurricane and stared down the angry Z-Man in the ring, who threw aside his chair, then stooped to check on his partner.  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, Matthew Skinner walked in from the garage, forehead still bandaged, and apparently travelling light, as the only things he carried were his WCW Title and the ugly-stick. He started walking through the halls, face as unreadable as ever behind his black sunglasses. The half-smirk on his lips, however, broadcast the message, "I'm insane, I've got a baseball bat, and somebody's gonna get their ass kicked." Many of the stagehands backed out of his way as he headed toward the Alliance part of the arena.  
  
As he got there, however, he found Hugh Morrus and Chavo Guerrero in his way. "Hey, just the guy we've been looking for!" Morrus proclaimed. "We gotta kick your ass for what you did to Paul last week."  
  
The Storm gave no indication that he'd heard them, or even that he was acknowledging their existence until they blocked his path. "Hey, not so fast, dick-wad," Morrus said, pushing him back. "You got a beating coming to ya!"  
  
Now Skinner reacted. He dropped his belt, swung his bat up, and smashed Morrus in the face with it. He pivoted, drove it into the side of Chavo's head, then swung back to the larger WCWer and started pummeling him like mad before dropping the bat and grabbing Morrus by the shirt. He turned and threw him head-first into a set of steel poles, which clanged noisily to the floor atop the Laughing Man. The Storm turned back to Chavo, kicked his hand away from the ugly-stick, then stomped him a few times before pulling him up and pinning him to the wall.  
  
The Storm gave the former Lt. Loco a few good shakes before asking him, "Where's Shane McMahon's dressing room?"  
  
"I'm not gonna tell you--" Chavo tried to say.  
  
"You don't seem to grasp the concept here, burrito breath," Skinner snapped. "You're gonna tell me where Shane's dressing room is, or you're going to be sharing a hospital room with Paul Heyman. Where's Shane's room?"  
  
"I told you, I'm not--" But the young Guerrero got no further before The Storm adjusted his grip, grabbing him by the face, pulling his head back from the wall, then shoving it back into the wall with a dull _thud_. He repeated this a few times, then hurled Chavo to the floor, stomped on his knee twice, then picked up his ugly-stick and his title belt.  
  
The Storm gave them a brief look before leaving, saying, "Fine, I'll find it myself."  
  
* * *  
  
J.R. was looking uncomfortable. "I tell you, Pick, The Storm has become one dangerous, dangerous man."  
  
"You're not familiar with his time in CIW," Pickett replied. "I've seen him like this before, and believe me, if the rumors I've heard are true, then we are all in very serious trouble."  
  
"What rumors are those?" J.R. asked, but before Pickett could reply, the TitanTron lit up for the next match. _"Christian! CHRISTIAN! At last you are on your OOOOOWN!" _Rock music played as golden sparks rained from the overhead lighting structure and fountained from the stage, finally stopping to reveal Christian standing on the stage, arms spread and his arrogant little smirk plastered across his face.  
  
"The following contest is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, weighing in at 215 pounds... CHRISTIAN!" Christian hit the ring and climbed up on the ropes, rolling his shoulders forward, then jerking his thumbs back to his chest, laughing as the operatic rock theme continued. He removed his crazy-ass sunglasses and smoothed his hair back as he faced the ramp.  
  
Oriental music started playing as Tajiri came out on the ramp, accompanied by his inexplicable new valet, the Alliance diva Torrie Wilson. Tajiri was smiling and conversing with Torrie in his rapid-fire Japanese, while she smiled and nodded. "And his opponent, from Japan, being accompanied by Torrie Wilson, weighing in at 205 pounds... TAJIRI!"  
  
Christian attacked Tajiri from behind as the Japanese wrestler tried to get a kiss from Torrie. He started pummeling on the smaller man before sending him into the opposite corner, where Tajiri blocked the follow-up with an elbow. The Japanese Buzzsaw fired back with a a knife-edge chop, then a slap to the chest, taking Christian into the adjacent corner, where the "deranged maestro" reversed positions, returning the slap to the chest and the chop, then pausing to pose to the crowd. When he turned back, Tajiri was ready and nailed him with a stiff superkick.   
  
Christian fought out of a side headlock, but his hiptoss was blocked by Tajiri, who punched him in the stomach, then flipped over his head. The Canadian was ready, however, and powerbombed him in mid-move. Frustrated, the treacherous Christian started stomping on the Japanese Buzzsaw before slapping on a headlock, then punching him in the face while he had him there. ("Christian's trying to whoop the head off of Tajiri," Pickett remarked at ringside.) He went for a pin after hitting a backbreaker, but only got two. Tajiri tried a shot to the abdomen, then landed a second, then came off the ropes, but ran into his opponent's knee. Christian then grabbed him in the reverse DDT position and dropped him back onto the knee in a backbreaker.  
  
Christian added insult to injury by kicking Tajiri between the shoulderblades as the smaller man sat on the mat. He then followed up by hitting a clothesline to Tajiri, flattening him for a two-count. With a sneer, the deranged maestro choked the Japanese grappler on the second rope, laughing as Torrie pleaded with him to stop. At a four-count from the ref, Christian finally stopped, pulling Tajiri up by the hair, ignoring some punches from the smaller man. He elbowed him in the head, whipped him into the corner, only to meet Tajiri's boot as he came in for the follow-up. He turned around and ducked a clothesline from Tajiri, but the Buzzsaw was waiting as he turned back around for a stiff back kick to the jaw. Tajiri came off the ropes and hit a headscissors takedown.  
  
Now Tajiri whipped Christian into the ropes, ducked his head, only to get kicked back to his feet by the Canadian. Now Christian whipped him to the ropes, but Tajiri did a handspring en route, bounced his legs off the ropes, and flipped back with an elbow to Christian's jaw. Tajiri made his first cover of the match, but only got a two-count. A whip to the corner was reversed by Christian, but as he charged in after him, Tajiri slipped up out of the way and quickly tied Christian into the Tarantula for four seconds before referee Charles Robinson broke it up. Christiand ducked a roundhouse kick, looked for his reverse DDT, but Tajiri slipped free, dropped to the mat and kicked upward into Christian's face.  
  
Another kick to the head by Tajiri set Christian up perfectly for the Buzzsaw Kick finish, but the Canadian wanted no part of that, sliding out of the ring instead. Tajiri followed, but his opponent was waiting, and popped him in the face. Frustrated now, Christian grabbed a steel chair, but Torrie ran over to plead with him, shielding Tajiri. Sneering, Christian raised the chair anyway, and abruptly Tajiri shoved Torrie aside, spewing the blinding Green Mist at Christian -- who sidestepped it, causing Charles Robinson to take the Mist full in the face. Tajiri was now wide open for a chairshot from Christian as the blinded referee called for a disqualification. Christian now rolled Tajiri into the ring as he grabbed a second chair, softening him up with a second chairshot before setting him up for the One-Man Conchairto.  
  
That's when the fans started cheering like mad. Not because of Christian's evil behavior, but because none other than Edge had hopped the barricade, spearing Christian in the side and firing off numerous stiff right hands to his brother as referees chargted out to try and pull him off. Christian quickly escaped and retreated up the ramp as the refs held a furious Edge at bay. Edge flashed a toothy, eager grin as Christian stared at him in shock. "See you on Sunday," Edge mouthed as his brother left.  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, The Storm's hunt for Shane McMahon continued. He stalked through the halls of the Alliance's section of the arena, checking locker rooms left and right. Before long, he was stopped again by Chuck Palumbo, Sean O'Haire, and Shawn Stasiak. "Lookee what we got here," O'Haire snarled. "It's a little lost idiot."  
  
Skinner just tilted his head to one side. "Well, lookee what we got here," he mocked, "it's the Perfect Jobbers. Outta my way."  
  
Instead of doing that, Palumbo and O'Haire charged as Skinner dropped his belt. Palumbo got an ugly-stick to the face, and then The Storm brawled with O'Haire for a moment before throwing him aside. Stasiak charged then, only to get punched in the nose. He turned back to O'Haire, got a kick in the midsection, but fought off O'Haire with a well-placed bat swing to the solar plexus. That done, he grabbed him by the hair, then smashed his face into his knee before throwing him into the wall. Stasiak moved forward, taking his hands off his bloody nose, only to get punched in the nose again.  
  
Now Palumbo was back up, only to get beat back to the floor by the ugly-stick. The Storm grinned as he held the baseball bat with both hands and started beating a rhythm on the "Main Event's" head. "I've - been workin' - on the - rail - road!" he sang in between swings. "All - the live - long day!" He looked up as Stasiak pulled his hands off his broken nose, then feinted at him. Stasiak yelped in fear, spun around to run, and ran smack into the corner of the wall, knocking himself unconscious.  
  
The Storm stood over him, then muttered a curse. "Damn. I should've left one of them conscious. Still have to find Shane's room." He shrugged and retrieved his WCW Title belt where he'd dropped it, then continued on his way.  
  
* * *  
  
A second six-man tag was on the card, this one pitting the Gemini Twins and Kane against DDP, Kanyon, and Raven. As with the previous one, the extra men (in this case, Undertaker and Tommy Dreamer) were barred from ringside. This match was mostly dominated by the WWF/CIW team, with Castor, Pollux, and Kane having their way with Kanyon, until he managed to tag in Page at the same time Cas tagged Kane. Page promptly put on the brakes, begging off from the Big Red Machine, who grabbed him by the throat and gave him a big chokeslam, only to get jumped by Raven after the attack.  
  
Kane grabbed him by the throat as well, then looked at the Gemini, who had stepped into the ring and were asking for him. The masked man obliged, throwing him to Pollux, who whipped Raven to the ropes, then picked him up on the rebound, pivoting and joining with Castor, who helped his twin brother drive Raven to the mat with the Twin Terror Bomb. Kanyon then got up and distracted the Twins, who took him out of the ring as Kane made the cover on Page to win the match.  
  
During the course of all this, J.R. and Pickett announced that at _No Way Out, _Undertaker & Kane would defend their WCW Tag Titles in another Four Corners Elimination Match, against the Gemini, DDP & Kanyon, and Dreamer & Raven.  
  
* * *  
  
In the Alliance VIP room, Shane McMahon was pacing back and forth, nervously looking at the television monitor, which showed The Storm prowling the halls, looking for the Boy Wonder. Shane turned to Stephanie and Hunter. "Are you sure you took the sign off our door?"  
  
"Yes, Shane, it's right here," Steph replied, tapping the placard on the coffee table. "Don't worry. Even if he manages to find this room, Hunter is here. He can fight him off for you!" She said this confidently, while her husband looked a tad reluctant.  
  
"Or at least long enough for you to get outta here, Shane-O," Triple H amended. "Skinner doesn't want me. He wants to get at you, not me. Besides, we got a buncha guys guarding the room two doors down."  
  
"What good are they gonna do me there?!" Shane demanded.  
  
"Look, if they guard this room, then that just tells Skinner 'Yo, I'm in here.' By guarding that room, he'll go there and not here," the Game explained. "And when we hear him fighting with those guys, you can slip out and get to the car."  
  
Almost as soon as he said this, there came a lot of shouting and yelling from the hallway. They looked at the monitor, where they could see Matthew Skinner in the midst of brawling his way through the Alliance members guarding the empty room. Steph and Triple H stood up. "Go now, Shane!" Stephanie hissed as Shane peeked out in the hall. He broke into a run, heading away from the fight and toward the garage.  
  
* * *  
  
Shane reached the garage in record time, where his limo -- with the "WCW 1" vanity license plate -- was idling. He ran toward the door. "Come on, come on, let's go!" He grabbed the handle, pulled, and blinked in surprise as it refused to open. "Hey, come on, open the door!" He tugged again, but it still did not open. Glancing back over his shoulder worriedly, he ran around to the other door, but it too was locked. He sneered and pounded on the side of the limo. "This isn't funny! Open up!"  
  
He pulled on the door handle again, then tried the other door again. He went over to the driver's window, which was tinted. He knocked on the window. "Open the freaking door!" The window rolled down, and Shane stepped in front of it to yell at the driver, obscuring the person inside from the camera. "Look, I've had enough of -- who're you? You're not my driver."  
  
Shane then yelped in surprise as the fake driver grabbed his head and pulled it in through the open window. His angry shouts turned into a choking sound as the window rolled back up on his neck, trapping him in the window. He banged on the windows and door, trying to get loose. His choked and muffled shouts came out through the partially open window. "Lemme go!"  
  
"Well, well, well, what have we here?" came The Storm's voice. Shane tensed and tried harder to get loose. The Storm smirked. "A little stuck, are we? Let's see if I can't fix that." He walked over and swung his ugly-stick into Shane's back, getting a choked shout. He did it a second time, then tapped on the window. "Turn him loose."  
  
The window rolled down and Shane tumbled out, one hand clutching his back, the other his bruised throat. The Storm dropped his bat and his title belt, picked Shane up and threw him into the side of the limo. He punched him across the face a few times, then in the stomach, then grabbed him, swung him about, and threw his head through the window of the door to the back of the limo. Glass shattered and littered the ground. The Storm pulled him out, examining Shane's now bloody face. He smirked and grabbed jaw, pulling him close to snarl in his face.  
  
"You brought this on yourself, Shane-O," Skinner growled. "You picked the wrong person to piss off. You think you know what pain is, Shane? I will show you what agony really is."  
  
He dragged Shane around the limo and climbed up on the trunk, then up to the roof, pulling Shane up after him. Once there, he pulled Shane in front of him, then hooked him and gave him the Downdraft. Shane gave a weak cry, convulsing as Skinner rolled him down onto the hood of the limo before jumping off himself, retrieving his belt and bat. He went to the driver's door and opened it, tossing in his gear. Whoever had been sitting there was gone, having moved to the passenger's seat, where they couldn't be seen by the camera.  
  
The Storm leaned out the open window. "Time to go for a ride, Shane-O!" He shifted the limo into drive and sped forward, with Shane barely holding on for his life. Ahead of the car was a stack of boxes. A couple of feet before impact, The Storm slammed on the brakes, sending Shane flying off into the boxes, which fell atop him. The Storm stepped out of the limo for a moment, smirking and removing his sunglasses as he looked at Shane's legs, which were sticking out from under the pile of boxes.  
  
"Remember this moment, Shane," he said in a quiet, menacing voice. "Remember how I could've killed you tonight. Payback's a bitch, ain't it?" He stepped back into the limo, shut the door, then backed up, turned around, and drove out of the garage. The camera watched the car leave, then ran back and faded out on Shane's unmoving legs.  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: Three days until _No Way Out_. The Storm has hospitalized Paul Heyman and Shane McMahon. What does he have in store for the Helmsleys?  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
August 26, 2002


	21. Trapped

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Thursday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: Three days until _No Way Out_. The Storm has hospitalized Paul Heyman and Shane McMahon. What does he have in store for the Helmsleys?  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
WARNING: This chapter is much more dark and disturbing than my previous ones, featuring obscene dialogue. Reader discretion is advised.  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: As _Raw _started off without Paul Heyman at color (owing to his attack by The Storm the preceding Thursday), Billy Rose came out with the former "Voice of CIW," Jim Pickett, to replace Paul alongside J.R. It was announced there would be two Four Corner Elimination Tag Team Matches at _No Way Out_ for the WWF & WCW Tag Titles, the first featuring the Dudleys, Z-Men, Hardys, and Lance Storm & The Hurricane, the second featuring Undertaker & Kane, the Gemini Twins, DDP & Kanyon, and Tommy Dreamer & Raven. **Dudleys**** & Lance Storm def. Zed & Zeta & Jeff Hardy **after a Bubba Bomb on Jeff. After the match, Zeta got a 3-D before Zed chased off the heels. **Gemini & Kane def. DDP & Kanyon & Raven **after a chokeslam by Kane on Page. The Gemini took out Raven with the Twin Terror Bomb. Backstage, The Storm stalked the halls, looking for Shane McMahon and destroying anyone who got in his way -- including Chavo Guerrero, Hugh Morrus, Sean O'Haire, Chuck Palumbo, and Shawn Stasiak. **Christian def. Tajiri via Disqualification **as Tajiri spewed the blinding green mist, but hit the referee instead. Christian then set Tajiri up for the One-Man Conchairto when Edge returned through the crowd and speared his brother, chasing him off. Backstage, Shane snuck away as The Storm was distracted, fighting off Alliance security, running for his limosuine. Once there, however, he found the doors locked and someone else in the driver's seat. The false driver trapped Shane's head in the window as The Storm caught up, brutally beating on Shane, throwing his head through a car window before giving him the Downdraft on top of the limo. He wasn't done yet, however. He then put Shane on the hood of the car before driving at a stack of boxes, stopping just short to send him flying into the boxes. The Storm stood over Shane's motionless body, his taunts of "You will know what agony really is," hanging in the air.  
  
FYI: List of Champions: **WWF **- Triple H (Alliance); **Intercontinental **- Edge (WWF); **European **- Eddie Guerrero (WWF); **Hardcore **- Rob Van Dam (Alliance); **Light-Heavyweight** - X-Pac (WWF); **WWF Tag Team** - Dudley Boyz (Alliance); **Women's** - vacant; **WCW **- The Storm (WWF); **U.S.** - Victor E (CIW); **Cruiserweight **- Billy Kidman (Alliance); **WCW Tag Team** - Undertaker & Kane (WWF)  
  
**Chapter 21: Trapped  
  
Thursday: Smackdown, February 20**  
  
En route to the arena, Matthew Skinner glanced at the WCW Championship belt that lay beside him. This belt meant everything to him now. Before it was just a stepping stone, something he was going to use to get at Triple H and the WWF Championship. Then he started reminiscing about the former NWA Champions whose legacy was a part of the WCW Title, which led him to think about the disgraceful champions who had held the WCW Title. It left a bitter taste in his mouth.  
  
He had set aside his quest for the WWF Championship for now, solely so he could erase the stains on the WCW Championship's prestige. He had to protect it from the Alliance now. If Shane and Stephanie got their hands on it again, they would put it around the waist of scum like Diamond Dallas Page or Test, and that would destroy what he was trying to do. He could not let that happen. The Alliance, however, was not fooling around. Booking him in tag matches where he couldn't trust his own partner not to go for the pin and the title. Booking him in handicap matches. Playing head games to try and get him to lose focus.  
  
Skinner smiled to himself. Shane's plan had backfired. Instead of making him lose focus, he'd become even more focused. It may not seem that way to them, but he knew what he was doing. It was very simple.  
  
In order to protect his title, he just had to destroy the Alliance.  
  
* * *  
  
At the Pyramid in Memphis, Tennessee, the Helmsleys' limo pulled right up to the entrance to the corridor, where Triple H and Stephanie got out. Both of them looked extremely wary as they got out, checking all around them. Spotting them, Justin Credible ran over to them. "Triple H, Steph, don't worry. We all got here early like you said to."  
  
"And?" Triple H asked. "Is he here?"  
  
Justin shook his head. "No. We've been over every inch of the arena, and we have security guys posted at all the entrances, telling them to call us if they see him. Don't worry. There's no way that The Storm is going to get to you guys."  
  
He'd just finished saying this when The Storm suddenly flew in from a side corridor, knocking Justin into the wall, then smashing Triple H in the head with his ugly-stick. Stephanie screamed as The Storm hauled the Game over to the trunk of the car. He threw him inside, slamming the door shut and then twisting off the key in the lock. He turned to Steph with a sneer.  
  
She caught the mad gleam in his eyes, even through his black sunglasses, and stood paralyzed with fear. He stalked up to her and grabbed her by the arm before she could run away. "Hello, Stephanie," he hissed in her ear. "You're coming with me."  
  
Stephanie shrieked in terror and tried to get away as The Storm dragged her away down a corridor.  
  
* * *  
  
Later in the evening, while the Alliance scrambled to (a) free Triple H from the trunk of his limosuine and (b) locate Stephanie, a tag match was booked between the team of Kurt Angle and Victor E. and the team of Booker T and Test. Prior to the match, however, the fans were surprised by someone else's arrival. The TitanTron lit up with the legend _Y2J _and a timer started counting down until it hit _0.00, _whereupon the lights went out and pyros exploded on the stage. The fans cheered as Chris Jericho appeared on the ramp, wearing his _Jerichohol_T-Shirt and carrying a microphone. "Welcome to Memphis... is... JERICHO!" he shouted into the microphone. He turned around and posed a bit as his music faded out. "Y'know, people have been asking me, 'Y2J, why are you fighting Kirk Angel at _No Way Out_, you two are on the same team, you're part of the WWF.' They seem to think that just because the WWF is fighting the Alliance that I can't have a match against a WWF teammate. Like this makes everything okay between Kirk Angel and me. Well let me tell you, junior, that nothing could be further from the truth! Kirk and I have some unfinished business, and even though he's been the recipient of beating after beating by me and Triple H and Chris Benoyt and Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Storm and the technicians and even the beer merchant up on the twenty-third row!" He smirked as the fans cheered.  
  
"Well, Kirk Angel, you and I have a date on Sunday. Our ass-clown of a Commissioner tells me I have to put my _Wrestlemania_number-one contendership on the line, and that's just fine with me, Kirk. Because I am going to beat the living hell out of your red-white-and-blue carcass, but don't worry! You'll still get to go home with your precious gold medals, but you'll also get as a lovely parting gift a Y2J beating that you will never--" (_"Eeeeeeeeeeeeever!" _chimed in the fans) "--ever forget AGAYN!"  
  
During the match itself, Angle seemed quite distracted by Jericho's presence at the commentary table, while Test seemed nervous in his own right. Michael Cole attributed this to worry about The Storm suddenly showing up to avenge Rain on Test. Booker T made up for Test's nervousness, going after Victor E with a vengeance, double-teaming him as Angle continually turned to glare and shout at Jericho, who just smirked from the desk.  
  
Finally, Victor got Angle to focus and managed to tag in, whereupon Angle cleaned house on Booker and Test, then beckoned for Jericho to get in the ring. Jericho stood up, picking up his chair at the desk, watching as Booker got back up and kicked Angle in the stomach. But as the former five-time WCW Champion went to the ropes for the Scissor Kick, Jericho swung the chair up and into Booker's back, stunning him. An Angle Slam followed that, but Angle tagged in Victor instead of going for the pin. The Olympian then left the ring and started for Jericho, who held him at bay with the chair.  
  
In the ring, Victor started to set Booker up for the Victory Slam, when Test jumped in the ring, drilling him with the Boot to the Head. The last CIW Champion (and current U.S. Champion) went down, and Booker covered him for the win. After the bell was rung, the excited WCWer dropped to one knee, staring at his hand. He shook his head around, then swung his arms out to the sides, flopping onto his back and executing the spinaroonie. That done, he stood over Victor. "You just got yo' punk-ass handed to you by the _five-time_ WCW Champion, now can you dig that, sucka--"  
  
Before he could finish that word, however, Angle rushed back in the ring and clamped on an Angle Lock on Booker, causing him to tap out quickly before Jericho came in with the chair. The Olympic gold-medalist retreated, leaving Jericho to bash Booker with the chair instead. But Test was still around, and he hit Jericho with a Boot to the Head as well before staring down Angle on the ramp.  
  
* * *  
  
Stephanie looked around fearfully. She was somewhere in the basement, she knew that much. Making things more difficult (and more frightening), however, was the fact that all the lights save one overhead were out, leaving her in a single pool of light in an extremely dark room. She couldn't even tell how far she was from the door anymore. She heard footsteps pacing around her, just outside the light, though she thought she caught the glint of light off The Storm's sunglasses once or twice, but the darkness was so black she wasn't sure. The Storm could even have left her down here. The humming of the overhead fluorescent light made it hard to concentrate.  
  
"Hello, Stephanie," came the harsh whisper of The Storm's voice. Steph jumped. He was right behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders, holding her in the chair she was seated in. He leaned down and sneered at her. "What am I going to do with you, Stephanie?"  
  
She just stared at him, eyes wide with fear, speechless. He removed his hands and stepped around to pace in and out of the light in front of her. The WCW Championship belt was around his waist, his forehead still bandaged. His hand massaged the bandage as he paced. "See, Stephanie, I want to keep my title. I need to keep my title. I _must _keep my title, Stephanie, but you and the Alliance aren't playing along."  
  
All at once, he rushed forward, bracing his hands on the arms of the chair and leaning into her face, screaming, "_You aren't playing along!_" The echoes of his voice in the darkened basement were lost to the darkness and the hum of the light. His lips curled into a snarl as he glared into her terrified face, then all at once twisted into a sick grin. "But that's okay by me, Stephanie. I finally figured out what I'm going to have to do to protect my title, Stephanie, and that's simply destroy anything that tries to take it from me."  
  
He pushed off the chair and stood in front of her, pacing in and out of the light again. "That's why I put your brother and Paul Heyman in the hospital," he remarked. "They were threats. They couldn't be allowed to send someone else after my title." He paused, staring off into the darkness. "They were threats," he repeated. The Storm turned his head and looked at her. "Are you a threat, Stephanie?"  
  
Still too terror-stricken to speak, she shook her head. The Force of Nature titled his head. "I think you are." With a whimper, she shook her head again. "No? I'm not sure. I'll have to think about it." He stepped out of the light, swallowed up instantly by the blackness. Stephanie nervously looked around, but The Storm's voice came from the dark. "Oh, and Stephanie, I wouldn't think about trying to get away. We're not necessarily alone down here, and what you could find down here won't necessarily be as nice as I would."  
  
With a silent squeak, Stephanie stared around at the darkness surrounding her. Was that a muscle-bound hulking figure over there? Did she just hear a growl or was it just the boilers? What was The Storm going to do to her?  
  
"Hunter," she whimpered, "help me!"  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, Scion was helping Victor E, whose U.S. Title was draped over one shoulder, back to the CIW locker room. The Coach ran up to them. "Victor E! Victor, after what just happened in the ring, there's some talk that Booker T may ask for a shot at your United States Championship this Sunday at--"  
  
"Booker wants a shot at me?" Victor interrupted. "You tell him to bring his ass out on Sunday. I'll be glad to kick it back to Houston for him, and I'll show that just like my name, I'm always triumphant." He pushed past Coach and left with Scion following.  
  
"Wait, Scion!" Coach called. The hooded holy man stopped and turned back to him. "What are your thoughts on Matthew Skinner? Earlier tonight, he showed up at the arena and abducted Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley. No one knows where they are."  
  
Scion bowed his head, concealing his face in shadow, then looked up. "Matthew is teetering dangerously toward the darkness. I fear he may already have fallen to its call. If this has happened, then we are all in grave peril, for no one understands the darkness like I do. I have been fighting it since I came into this world, Jonathan, and I will keep on fighting it until I leave it. All I can say is this: if Matthew has fallen into the darkness, then woe, woe, woe, unto the members of the Alliance, CIW, and the World Wrestling Federation." He bowed again, then turned and left.  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, Kane watched impassively as his brother, the Undertaker, shadow-boxed at a wall. The Big Red Machine carried his WCW Tag Team Title belt on one shoulder, and his brother's on the other. Taker turned back to him. "All right, I'm ready. I got your back, bro." Kane nodded, handing over his brother's belt. Taker nodded back, slapping his belt across his shoulder. "All right, let's go do this."  
  
They turned to leave, and found the Gemini Twins standing before them. They both wore sleeveless CIW T-Shirts, exposing the tattoos on Pollux's upper arms -- the only discernable difference between the two. Castor smirked and tapped his fist against his twin's arm. "Look, Pollux, it's the Brothers of Destruction."  
  
Pollux nodded, smirking identically. He gazed at Undertaker. "Undertaker. The American Badass."  
  
"The Phenom," added Castor.  
  
"The Lord of Darkness," Pollux put in.  
  
Castor raised a finger, then pointed at him. "The Dead Man." The tattooed twin nodded, looking back at Taker. "But, Castor, let's not forget this guy. Kane. The Undertaker's little brother."  
  
"The Big Red Machine," Castor nodded.  
  
The Brothers of Destruction hadn't said anything as the Twins were saying this, until finally Taker leaned forward to peer into Pollux's eyes. "You gonna get out of our way, boys?"  
  
The Twins smirked simultaneously and stepped out of their way. "Go right ahead, Taker," Castor said. "I'll see you out there."  
  
"Enjoy the titles while you still got `em!" Pollux called out as the Brothers left.  
  
* * *  
  
This exchange took place for one of the matches that night was a tag match, pitting Kane and Castor against DDP and Tommy Dreamer. The other partners had all been barred from ringside again, preventing interference or run-ins. The Alliance team, despite having a disadvantage in terms of size against the near seven-foot Kane and six-seven Castor, worked well as a team, smoothly tagging in and tagging out, leading to first Castor, then Taker getting isolated. In both cases, Dreamer and Page worked over the WWF or CIWer's legs, trying to destroy their vertical base -- and in Castor's case, trying to limit what he could do with his "educated feet."  
  
Finally, after a couple of minutes of beatings by the Jersey native and ECW mainstay, Kane managed to hit his flying top-rope clothesline to Dreamer and make the hot tag to Castor, who charged the ring and started throwing out forearms and boots. He whipped Page into the ropes, then hit a sort of reverse enzuigiri kick to his head -- the Slash Kick, completely rotating himself in the air as he hit it. That done, Castor nailed the charging Tommy Dreamer with a big boot, then scouted the recovering DDP for a Scissors Kick. He struck hard and quick, taking the stalker down, then turned to see Kane asking for the tag.  
  
"What the fuck d'you want?" the Gemini demanded.  
  
"That guy stalked my brother's wife!" Kane snapped at him. "Lemme finish him off!"  
  
Castor paused, apparently considering this, then snapped his foot up and booted Kane off the apron. He walked over to the ropes and gave him the finger then turned back, shoving Page away as he tried to deliver a Diamond Cutter. DDP hit the ropes and came back into a Slash Kick, after which the Gemini Twin went for the pin. He got to two before an angry Big Red Machine grabbed his ankle and pulled him out of the ring.  
  
Before the CIWer could react, Kane had grabbed him by the throat and delivered a massive chokeslam on the outside. Dreamer and Page left the ring and started attacking Kane at the same time, while the referee counted all parties out of the ring, ending in a double count-out. The fans booed both the outcome and the double-team.  
  
Coming out to even the odds, however, were Undertaker and Pollux. The sight of the charging Dead Man scared off Page immediately, who took off through the crowd. Furious, Taker grabbed the nearest person -- in this case, Tommy Dreamer -- and promptly chokeslammed him. He then climbed over the barricade and chased Page until he lost sight of him in the crowd.  
  
In the meantime, Pollux went to check on his twin brother, then angrily turned to Kane. "The fuck you do to my brother, you crisp-fried freak!?"  
  
"Hey, watch what you say to my brother!" Undertaker was back, and getting in Pol's face.  
  
"Your freak of a brother just cost us the fucking match!" Pollux snapped, shoving Taker back.  
  
This wasn't a smart thing to do. Undertaker looked at him like he was insane, and advanced menacingly, but the referee stepped between the four, keeping them apart and returning Kane's WCW Tag belt to him. The Gemini stared down the Brothers of Destruction as they backed up the ramp. Castor and Pollux glared hard, and then simultaneously gestured around their waists, a gesture full of promise and threat.  
  
* * *  
  
Stephanie sat shivering in the basement, hugging her legs. It wasn't all that cold down here, but despite being fully clothed, she felt naked and exposed. It didn't help that she kept believing she was seeing someone -- or worse, some_thing_ -- lurking in the darkness beyond her apparent not-quite-sanctuary in the pool of fluorescent light.  
  
All at once, Matthew Skinner's form seemed to melt out of the shadow, causing her to yelp in alarm and fear. That disturbing half-smile was on his face again, all the more disturbing for the fact that his sunglasses were gone, that his cold, gray eyes sparkled with malevolent glee. She noticed -- for the first time -- that he wasn't wearing one of his usual T-Shirts. This one was all black, no slogans or designs on it at all. For some reason, this made him seem all the more demonic.  
  
"Hello, Stephanie," he said, his voice twisting the simple greeting into a promise of terror. "I've been trying to decide what to do with you," he remarked off-handedly. "I'm not sure whether to hurt you or to find some... other use for you." He leered, causing her to shrink back in her chair.  
  
"Oh, come off it!" he snapped, that sick glee vanishing from his face in an instant, replaced by a vicious snarl. "I know you'd enjoy it! You'd spread your legs for me in a second if you thought it would save your hide!" He leered again, but this time without lewd, just malice. "You know you would, Stephanie. Deep down, you're a slut, and you know it."  
  
But he shook his head as he started pacing again. "But I wouldn't do that to you, Stephanie." He turned and fixed her with a stare. "Not because I care about your dignity, but because I wouldn't lower myself that much. You're not even worth it."  
  
He resumed pacing. "No, I'm think I'll probably just hurt you instead. I'm busy trying to decide the best way to do that. Maybe I'll cut your nipples off and mail them to your husband." She whimpered, trying to muster up the courage to form a coherent protest, but he cut her off before she could say anything. "Or perhaps not. I might have some other use for you, Stephanie," The Storm whispered, half in the shadows and half lit by the light overhead.  
  
He stepped forward into the light again and leaned down, bracing one hand on the arm of her chair again, raising the other one before her. She noticed -- again, for the first time -- that he held a couple of pieces of paper in it. "You see this, Stephanie? This is the contract for my WCW Championship Match with Rhyno this Sunday." He flicked his hand to the side, flipping it to another page. "And you see this part, Stephanie? This is the part of the contract where stipulations can be added to the match."  
  
She trembled at his closeness, whimpering. He sneered. "I want you to add a stipulation to the match, Stephanie. I want you to make it a No Disqualifications Match."  
  
He paused, and she managed to find her voice long enough to say, "I-I can't do that," in a weak voice, choking the words past the terror in her throat. "Shane's the owner of WCW, not me--"  
  
"Oh, please," The Storm interrupted, voice dripping with disgust. "Just how stupid do you think I am? You two are co-owners of the Alliance. Hell, Stephanie, correct me if I'm wrong, but Rhyno's part of ECW, isn't he?" She didn't say anything, causing him to sneer again. "That's right, Stephanie. That means you have some say-so over his matches. And I want you to make this a No Disqualifications Match."  
  
She trembled as she looked at the contract. The Storm held up a pen. "Go ahead, Stephanie, make the stipulation." She looked back and forth between pen, paper, and madman. The gleefully psychotic grin on his face faded again. "Can't make up your mind, Stephanie? All right, I'll leave you here so you can think about it some more."  
  
She started to make a whimpered protest as he left the contract and the pen on the floor in front of her, but he ignored her completely as he vanished into the encompassing darkness again. She bit her lip, looking around fearfully as she wondered the implications of signing a contract with the terrifying demon that had trapped her here.  
  
* * *  
  
_"You think you know me... you will never know me..." _The fans cheered as lights flashed on the stage behind a bubbling cloud of dry ice fog, as the brooding face of Edge lit up the screen. Rob Zombie music started up. _"Yeeeeah, my Durango, number 95..." _"Never Gonna Stop" continued as Edge came out from the fog, wearing his black trenchcoat again, jumping back and forth as he pumped up the crowd. Michael Cole and Tazz announced that Edge would indeed face his brother Christian and defend the Intercontinental Championship at _No Way Out_. "The following non-title contest is scheduled for one fall! Introducing first, representing the WWF, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, weighing in at 240 pounds... he is the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Champion... EDGE!"  
  
Edge slid into the ring, flashing his usual toothy grin as he bounced on his hands and toes for a moment before posing in the corner. He threw off his trench and sunglasses, facing the ramp. _"Who betta than Kanyon?"_The fans jeered as the smarmy Chris Kanyon came down the ramp, showing off his _Alliance MVP _T-Shirt. "And his opponent, representing the Alliance, from New Jersey, weighing in at 240 pounds... KANYON!"  
  
Edge waited until Kanyon was in range, then hit him with a baseball slide to start things off. He started dishing out right hands, then threw Kanyon into the steel steps, then into the barricade. The WCWer hadn't even had time to remove his shirt yet as Edge bounced his head off the barricade three more times before stomping him. The referee, Jimmy Korderas, finally managed to convince Edge to get it in the ring, so he rolled Kanyon in to officially start the match. Kanyon swung at him, but Edge ducked, causing the Alliance MVP do bounce off the ropes into a flapjack.  
  
Edge returned to the mount position and fed Kanyon some more right hands, then bounced his head off the mat a few times. Tiring of that, the wronged Canadian flipped Kanyon over and ground his face into the mat. Korderas argued with Edge, who got up and scared him off, turning back into a kick to the gut by Kanyon. He whipped Edge into the ropes, but Edge reversed it. The "innovator of offense," however, slid under Edge's legs and hit a pumphandle powerbomb for a two-count.  
  
Kanyon, angry, started dishing out right hands, muscling Edge back into the corner, where Edge reversed and returned the favor. The Jersey native managed a kneelift, however, and sent Edge into the ropes. The Canadian ducked, swung, but missed. Edge came off the ropes again and hit a spinning wheel kick. Both men went down from this one, but they got up as Korderas counted to four. Edge blocked a swing from Kanyon and dished out a right hand of his own, threw Kanyon into the corner, then whipped him across, hitting a shoulder block as he came back. Kanyon reversed another whip to the corner, but Edge stopped himself, turned around, and hit a cross-body to the self-styled MVP. He covered for a two-count.  
  
Kanyon again reversed a whip to the corner, but Edge blocked the follow-up with a boot and threw him into the corner again. He started hitting the Alliance member with closed fists, and when the referee tried to stop him, Edge inadvertently knocked him down with an elbow. With the referee out of the picture, Christian chose this moment to run out and attempt a spear. Edge jumped over him, causing his treacherous brother to spear Kanyon instead. Christian fled the ring, hightailing it up the ramp, but Edge pursued as Korderas began a ten-count. He reached ten and awarded the woozy Kanyon the victory.  
  
Edge stopped at the top of the ramp, turning back and running down the ramp as Kanyon celebrated his "win" in the ring. Edge slid in, kicked him in the stomach, then promptly hooked his head and tights to deliver the Buzz Killer DDT. He stood over Kanyon for a moment, but Christian slid into the ring behind him, grabbed his arms, then turned him around to deliver the Unprettier, fleeing up the ramp.  
  
* * *  
  
Stephanie looked at the contract on the floor. Would The Storm honestly let her go after she signed it? Or would he just hurt her, now that her usefulness was at an end. She thought of the condition he'd left Paul Heyman and Shane in. Paul had had difficulty breathing when he'd been taken to the hospital, and his voice still wasn't back to normal. And Shane! He'd nearly killed Shane, smashing his head through a car window, bruising his vertebrae with a Downdraft on the car roof, and then sending him through a stack of boxes!  
  
The thought of what he could do to her made her blood freeze in her veins.  
  
Then the demon returned, grinning that malevolent psychotic grin. "Hello, Stephanie. Have we reached a decision?"  
  
Stephanie looked fearfully between the contract and The Storm, then hesitantly asked, "If I sign the stipulation, you'll let me go?"  
  
He nodded. "I'll let you go, with a little message for your husband." His smile faded again, and he scooped up the contract and the pen. He thrust them at her. "Sign it!"  
  
Hands trembling, she took the paper and pressed it against her leg, shakily scribbling in the 'no disqualification' stipulation to the contract and signing her name on it. He snatched the contract back with a smile, folding it shut and sticking it in his back pocket as he removed his title belt, speaking as he paced around behind her. "Thank you, Stephanie, now I want you to take a message to your husband for me."  
  
All at once, he swung his belt up into the back of her head, knocking her senseless into a sprawl on the cold, slightly damp floor. He knelt down next to her. "Tell him, when I'm done with Rhyno, I'll be coming for him next." With an evil chuckle, he stood up and vanished into the darkness again, but through blurry vision, Stephanie could make out the sudden stark outline of the doorway -- just a few feet outside of the lit area she'd been "trapped" in. The Storm stood silhouetted in the doorway, chuckling. "See you around, Stephanie. Tell Rhyno I'll be seeing him in three days."  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: _No Way Out _is here. Powder kegs fill the card, as conflicts between various parties reach a head, and what will the Alliance do to The Storm after what he's done?  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
September 1, 2002


	22. NO WAY OUT

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Sunday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: _No Way Out _is here. Powder kegs fill the card, as conflicts between various parties reach a head, and what will the Alliance do to The Storm after what he's done?  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: A nervous Mr. & Mrs. Helmsley arrived at the arena, where they were told by Justin Credible that the Alliance had gotten there early and had combed the arena for The Storm, and that he wasn't there. The Storm, however, _was _there, and promptly took on Justin and Triple H, then abducted Stephanie, taking her to the basement of the arena, where all the lights but one were out. Meanwhile, Chris Jericho cut a promo against Kurt Angle, and did color commentary for Angle's tag match with Victor E against Booker T & Test. **Booker T & Test def. Kurt Angle & Victor E **with the Boot to the Head. After the match, Booker did the spinaroonie, but Angle, who had tried to chase off Jericho, ran back and put him in the Angle Lock. Jericho then hit the ring and chased off Angle, hit Booker with the chair, and got a Boot to the Head from Test as well. In the basement, The Storm tormented Stephanie, considering things he could do to her. Meanwhile, Victor E accepted a U.S. Title challenge from Booker, and Scion remarked that The Storm was dangerously close to "falling into darkness." Elsewhere, the Gemini and the Brothers of Destruction had a brief staredown prior to Kane and Castor's tag match. **Kane & Castor v. DDP & Tommy Dreamer ended in a Double Count-Out **as Undertaker, Kane, and the Gemini started fighting outside the ring and the Alliance team joined in. Meanwhile, The Storm continued to torment Stephanie, calling her a slut and suggesting she'd do him if she thought it would save her. He then told her he wanted her to make a "no disqualifications" stipulation to his match at _No Way Out_. He left her to think it over. **Kanyon**** def. Edge via Count-Out **when Christian ran out and interfered, leading to Edge chasing him off. He then ran back and hit Kanyon with a Buzz Killer before Christian gave him the Unprettier. Back in the basement, Stephanie finally conceded to signing the new stipulation, after which The Storm told her to give Triple H a message -- a title belt-shot to the head, and the promise that he'd come after Triple H when he was done with Rhyno.  
  
FYI: List of Champions: **WWF **- Triple H (Alliance); **Intercontinental **- Edge (WWF); **European **- Eddie Guerrero (WWF); **Hardcore **- Rob Van Dam (Alliance); **Light-Heavyweight** - X-Pac (WWF); **WWF Tag Team** - Dudley Boyz (Alliance); **Women's** - vacant; **WCW **- The Storm (WWF); **U.S.** - Victor E (CIW); **Cruiserweight **- Billy Kidman (Alliance); **WCW Tag Team** - Undertaker & Kane (WWF)  
  
**Chapter 22: NO WAY OUT  
  
Sunday: No Way Out, February 23**  
  
The fans cheered wildly as "Papercut" by Linkin Park -- _No Way Out_'s theme music -- underscored the wild bursts of pyros at the Pay-Per-View's set. It featured a giant steel framework resembling a prison cell door, with the TitanTron screen centered in the top portion, with three smaller screens underneath it, the center screen flashed the PPV logo while the other two featured the WWF & CIW logos and the WCW & ECW logos respectively. As the smoke faded into the air, the music increased in volume as thousands of fans waved their banners and signs and foam in the air.  
  
"We welcome you to WWF _No Way Out,_ live on Pay-Per-View from the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio! The fans at WWF New York in the heart of Times Square, where it's standing room only, with over 50,000 fans here in attendance, and many more watching at home, on a night which will have serious repercussions leading toward _Wrestlemania_ -- as the WWF Champion, The Game -- Triple H -- has to defend his title against the Texas Rattlesnake, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and the WCW Champion, "The Storm" Matthew Skinner faces serious consequences from the Alliance's #1 Contender, the Man-Beast -- Rhyno!"  
  
The cameras cut to show Jim Ross and Jim Pickett at the announce desk. "Hello, everyone, I'm Jim Ross, alongside the Voice of CIW, Jim Pickett, and unfortunately..." He trailed off for a moment as the camera pulled back to show Paul Heyman seated on the other side of J.R., his neck still bruised and bandaged. Ross continued, "... unfortunately, we are once again joined by the Voice of the Alliance, Paul Heyman--"  
  
"Are you done?" Heyman interrupted. His voice was a bit raspy as he glared at his broadcast partners. "Because if you are--"  
  
"J.R. may be, Paulie, but I'm not," Pickett cut in. He looked to the camera, ignoring Heyman's glare. The sandy-haired, bearded commentator went on, "Folks, I apologize ahead of time for the obnoxiousness you will have to put up with from Mr. Heyman, and I will do my best to make up for his presence here at ringside."  
  
There was a slight pause from Heyman as Linkin Park faded out, replaced by the CIW trademark, a snippet from the Offspring's "Defy You." _"We... are... ALIVE!" _It segued into a triumphant march-like number as Victor E emerged on the ramp, wearing his WCW U.S. Championship. The CIWer raised his arms in the air and flashed a 'V-for-victory' sign as he approached the ring. (Heyman snapped at Pickett, "You are so rude." "This coming from the guy who whacked Cactus Jack in the head with a cell phone during a match?")  
  
"The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the WCW United States Championship! Introducing first, representing CIW, from San Diego, California, weighing in at 255 pounds... he is the United States Champion... VICTOR E!" Victor wore his usual blue-and-black tights with his name down the side, as well as his _Always Triumphant _T-Shirt, which bore the slogan on the back and a large silver V on the front. He removed his belt and climbed up on the corner, raising his belt in the air and flashing another 'V-for-victory' sign. "Victor E, baby!" he shouted. He handed the belt down to the referee, then pulled off his shirt, tossing it out to the crowd. He brushed his long blond hair out of his face and crouched in wait for his opponent.  
  
_"Can you dig it? Sucka!" _Hip-hop music started up as the fans booed the former five-time WCW Champion came out, wearing blue trunks with _BT_ on the front and _Booker T _on the back. "And the challenger, representing the Alliance, from Houston, Texas, weighing in at 250 pounds... BOOKER T!" Booker jerked his head and raised his hands in the air as flame pyros burst behind him. He stared at Victor in the ring as he came down and stepped through the ropes.  
  
The two stared each other down to start as the referee -- Teddy Long -- held the U.S. Championship belt in the air. Victor gave a confident smirk, stretched out his shoulders, then raised a hand and flashed the 'V-for-victory' sign again in his opponent's face. "Victor E, baby!"  
  
Booker raised his right hand, showing his palm to Victor, then staring into it himself. "Yeah? Well I'm a five-time WCW Champion, sucka!"  
  
"Sucka is right," Victor replied, swinging and smacking the Texan across the jaw. He followed up with a forearm to the head, then grabbed an arm and shot Booker into the ropes, catching him with a kneelift on the rebound, flipping him over onto his back. Booker grunted as he hit the mat, then came up with a right hand of his own. Victor reeled, retaliated, then shoved him back into the corner, where he chopped the Booker-Man across the chest a few times before aiming some kicks at the right knee.  
  
Booker shouted in pain as Victor propped the leg on the ropes and kicked at the thigh. "And now Victor's showing why he was the greatest CIW Champion of all time," Pickett was saying at commentary. "He's being smart and trying to take out Booker's leg, to prevent him from doing the Scissor Kick later in the match, or even--" He smirked at Heyman, "heaven forbid -- the spinaroonie."  
  
"Don't count out Booker T," Heyman replied as Booker managed to drive the champion back with some knife-edge chops. "He is a former five-time WCW Champion, and the most electrifying man in sports entertainment today!"  
  
"True, but Booker's title reigns were only a few months when you add them together," the CIW announcer pointed out. "Victor's title reigns, when you add them together, totalled to over two years!"  
  
"Oh, yeah, real impressive," Heyman sneered. "That's real impressive coming from a bush league promotion."  
  
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you operate out of a bingo hall?"  
  
"And now Booker T's making a comeback," J.R. interrupted, steering the chatter back to the match. "Quickly putting the heat onto the U.S. Champion, Victor E, from CIW."  
  
Sure enough, Booker was steadily wearing down Victor, chopping him in the chest and clotheslining him around the ring. Finally as Booker sent him into the ropes, the CIWer went low coming off, dropkicking his opponent in the knee -- the same knee he'd been working over earlier. The WCWer went down as Victor got up and kicked at Booker's knee some more. He dragged Booker toward the corner, sliding out of the ring and looking to wrap the weakened knee around the ring post.  
  
The Booker-Man, however, was not out of the game yet. He jerked his legs, then yanked them back, pulling Victor face-first into the ring post. The champion fell to the floor, holding his jaw, as the challenger got up, sliding out to throw Victor into the barricade. He then lifted him up and dropped him face-first on the barricade a second time before rolling him back into the ring. Booker followed, bouncing off the ropes to deliver a stalling knee-drop to Victor's sternum.  
  
Booker went for a cover, but only got a two-count. He argued with the referee, pulling Victor up, wrenching the arm, and preparing to deliver a hook kick to the head when the CIWer dropped to the mat, maintaining his grip on Booker's hand. This put him in the pumphandle position. He started to set Booker up for the Victory Slam, but Booker elbowed free, hip-tossing him to the mat.  
  
Booker looked for the Scissor Kick as Victor started to get up, but the CIWer raised his head out of the way, but hit an enzuigiri dropkick to Booker's bad knee, then struck. With Booker face-down on the mat, Victor twisted the weakened leg into a deathlock, then leaned forward, hooking an arm and locking his hands over Booker's face in an STF. "And Victor's got it locked on!" Pickett crowed. "The Jaws of Defeat! It's over! It's over!"  
  
"No! No!" Heyman was shouting. "Get to the ropes, Booker! _Get to the ropes!_"  
  
But it was not to be. Booker was just too far away from the ropes. He screamed as he made one last valiant reach, then started pounding the mat with his hand. The referee called for the bell and handed the belt to Victor. The CIWer raised the belt in the air, then rolled out of the ring. He smirked, raising the belt with one hand as he flashed the 'V-for-victory' sign again. "Here is your winner, and _still _the U.S. Champion... VICTOR E!"  
  
"A great way to start off _No Way Out _here tonight," J.R. remarked, "than with a strong and decisive title defense by Victor E."  
  
"And it's a taste of things to come as well, J.R.," Pickett said. "The WWF-CIW Coalition is going to come out triumphant tonight over the Alliance."  
  
"Don't count the Alliance out yet," Paul E. growled. "We will still get our titles back -- and we'll keep what we have, too. Mark my words -- Triple H will walk in the WWF Champion and he will leave the WWF Champion. Mark my words."  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, Zed and Zeta were busy preparing themselves for their Four-Corners Elimination Tag Team Match for the WWF Tag Titles. Zed was busy taping up his wrists and hands while Zeta was stretching, jumping around their commandeered restroom like a kid with too much sugar.  
  
"Zait, calm down, you're giving me a headache over here," the ex-boxer said, pulling the black tape tight and tearing it off. He went to throw away the extra piece.  
  
"Hey, wait a sec," Zeta said. He took the tape from him, then tore three small strips from it length-wise. Walking over to the mirror, he put one strip under his left eye, making it almost look like the stripes under a football player's eyes. He took the second and third strips and put them on under the first so he had a black Z on his left cheek under his eye.  
  
"Hey, nice!" Zed grinned, clapping him on the shoulder. He turned to one of the stalls. "Dee! Whaddaya think?"  
  
The stall door opened, showing Dee Meaner hanging upside down by her knees on the top of the stall wall. She grinned and gave a thumbs-up, blinked, frowned at it, then turned it so she was giving a thumbs-down -- which would be a thumbs-up from the Z-Men's perspective. "Awesome!"  
  
"You gonna come out to the ring with us?" the smaller Z-Man asked as he smoothed the Z on his cheek.  
  
"Naturally," the brunette bombshell replied. "The Duds are gonna have Stacy K with them, the Hardys are gonna have La Lita Loca, and the Hurri-Twins are probably gonna drag Miss Bar-o-Soap out too. Gotta represent, ya know." She grinned, then bent at her waist, leaning up and grasping the top of the stall wall with her hands. She then flipped her legs up and down, landing sharply on the floor. "Cuz we're gonna bring those titles back! Damn skippy!" She grinned and raised her hand in the air, flashing the CIW sign, which the Z-Men happily returned.  
  
* * *  
  
"The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship!"  
  
_"Christian! Chris-TIAAN! At last, you are on your OOOOOOWN!" _The operatic music switched to a rock tune as golden sparks rained from the overhead lighting structure, more sparks fountaining up from the stage. The fountain stopped, revealing the treacherous Christian standing with his arms spread wide, a sardonic smile plastered on his face. He'd traded in his usual semi-see-through brown top for a red mesh top, sporting tights with his emblem in gold down the sides. As usual, he wore a pair of crazy-ass sunglasses, this time bright orange goggle-like ones. "Introducing first, the challenger, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, weighing in at 215 pounds... CHRISTIAN!"  
  
The fans booed as Christian slid into the ring and climbed onto the ropes, rolling his shoulders, then pointing his thumbs back into his chest, laughing. He stepped down and pulled the sunglasses off, smoothing back his hair and waiting. HIs music trailed off. _"You think you know me..." _The fans cheered as Edge's old entrance video played, lights strobing under the TitanTron. _"You will never know me..." _Rob Zombie music started up as a dry ice cloud fountained up from the stage. _"Yeeeah... my Durango, number 95..." _Edge came bounding out of the fog, wearing one of his slick black trenchcoats and white tights, wearing his title belt around his waist. "And his opponent, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, weighing in at 240 pounds... he is the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Champion... EDGE!"  
  
Edge ripped off his silvery-framed sunglasses and glared at the Cain to his Abel. He threw off his trenchcoat, pulled his belt off and tossed it into the ring as he slid in after it. Christian immediately started beating on his head and neck as he got up, but Edge shook it all off and retaliated with right hands of his own. The two traded off blows for a while before Edge sent Christian into the ropes and caught him with a flapjack. As Christian got back up, Edge quickly looked for the Buzz Killer DDT, but Christian slipped free and out of the ring.  
  
"Oh, no, you don't!" Edge snapped, sliding out after him, trading more blows with him there. "You're not getting off that easy, bro!" They fought up the ramp, where Edge got the upper hand, knocking his brother down and then hooking his legs under his arms. He dropped backward, catapulting the "deranged maestro" into the set. The referee had followed them, trying to get them back into the ring. Edge shot the ref a look, then pulled Christian back up, slugging him in the head and sending him reeling down the ramp to the ring.  
  
Once there, Edge threw Christian's head off the turnbuckle. He backed up and prepared to deliver a vicious Spear to his brother, but Christian dodged aside and hurled him shoulder-first into the steel post. He toppled to the outside, where the challenger, pulled him up and threw him shoulder-first into the steel stairs. "I'm gonna be the champ!" Christian shouted at him. "I'm the better brother! Me!" He rolled him back into the ring, standing him up, hooking his head from behind, dropping him back onto his knee in a backbreaker for a two-count.  
  
Snarling, Christian stood him up, then grabbed his hair and threw him to the mat. He did it a second time, then whipped him into the ropes to hit a powerslam for another two-count. "Come on, ref!" he snapped, slapping his hands quickly for emphasis. He snatched his hand down around Edge's throat, choking him for four seconds before the ref stopped him. He took Edge to the corner and started slugging away on him, then choking him with his boot. He pulled him upright, reared back to hit him again, but the Edge got his second wind. He reversed positions and started unloading punch after punch on him.  
  
After a minute of this, Edge hit Christian with a side Russian legsweep, then went upstairs, looking for a missile dropkick. He leapt, but Christian dodged out of the way. Edge, however, showed remarkable agility, turning himself in mid-air and landing on his feet. Christian started to turn around, but Edge grabbed him by the waist and hurled him back and over his head in a German suplex for a two-count. As Christian got up in the corner, Edge again lined him up for a Spear, and again Christian sidestepped it, causing Edge's bad shoulder to strike the post yet again. The mad maestro pulled him out and covered for a two-count, leading to another trading of blows. They both went off opposite ropes, looking for a crossbody, causing them to collide chest-to-chest and knock the wind out of each other.  
  
Edge started beating on Christian as he came around, hair-tossing him to the mat, much as Christian did earlier. Christian fought back with a knee-lift, then went for a DDT, but Edge kneed out of it and yanked Christian down to the mat in the Edge-O-Matic for a two-count. As he got back up, Christian grabbed his tights and hurled him to the outside, but Edge crawled under the ring apron. Christian slid out after him and looked under the ring, wondering where his brother went. Edge, for his part, crawled back out on the other side, climbing back in the ring, then springing over the top rope in a pescado. He rolled Christian back in the ring for a two-count.  
  
Now Christian was getting frustrated. Try as he might, nothing was working. Edge just kept getting back up. He came off the ropes and hit a Spear for a two-count. Snarling, he slid out of the ring, grabbing the timekeeper and ring announcer's chairs, bringing them into the ring. Edge was still feeling the effects of the Spear, enabling Christian to place a chair on the mat, setting him up for the One-Man Conchairto. As he raised the chair, however, Edge clipped his legs and took him face-first to the mat, knocking him silly. Edge looked at the chairs, then started to smile. He grabbed the chair and positioned Christian, raising the chair. "Hey!" the ref grabbed the chair away from him. "You can't do that!"  
  
As Edge turned to argue with the referee, who was passing the chair out to a stage hand, Christian got up, grabbing the extra chair and slipping it between Edge's legs, then snapping it up into his gonads. Edge groaned, doubling over as his brother slid the chair out of the ring, then rolled him up. The referee turned around, then counted the 1... 2... 3. The fans booed heavily at the tainted victory as Christian grabbed the title belt and rolled out of the ring, retreating up the ramp with a malicious sneer. He put the belt over his shoulder and slapped it with a laugh as Edge came around in the ring, his smoldering eyes burning a hole in his brother. This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, the Alliance section of the arena was on high alert after The Storm's incursions into their territory the previous week, especially at how he'd managed to fool their search parties. Evidently, he'd snuck into the arena by hiding on one of the WWF equipment trucks, and thus had evaded their initial sweep, and just waited for Triple H and Stephanie to show up. Nobody had seen where he'd taken Stephanie after that, and apparenly nobody had thought of checking the basement. (Indeed, most of the Alliance's roster hadn't been aware that the arena even had a basement.)  
  
Stephanie was a quivering wreck, firmly ensconced in her VIP room, under heavy guard from some hired security people. Triple H was none the worse for wear after having spent the majority of Thursday evening locked in the trunk of his own limosuine. He was extremely ill-tempered, however, and nobody wanted to tell him that they had not yet located Matthew Skinner, that he may very well not be at the arena yet.  
  
While all this was going on, Lance Storm was walking through the halls, mentally preparing himself for his match later that night. He walked around a corner, turned and looked back behind him. With an accompanying self-made _"Whooosh!" _his tag-team partner The Hurricane leapt into view. The self-proclaimed superhero stared into the distance, posing as Lance spoke. "Look, I just wanted to say, I think you're doing a great job." He gestured at his partner's attire. "I mean, what better way to illustrate the over-the-top, cartoonish nature of the World Wrestling Federation than by mocking them and pretending to be a superhero?" He almost -- _almost_ -- cracked a smile. "I mean, you're throwin' it right in their face. It's pure genius!"  
  
The Hurricane nodded, then turned his head sharply to look at him, pointing a finger. "Thank you, Citizen Storm! And I appreciate you're joining me in the fight against evil and injustice." Then he frowned. "But my hurri-senses are confused! What to you mean 'pretending' to be a superhero? Are you denying my hurri-powers? Are you saying my hurri-skills are not enough?" He spread his arms. "_Wassupwitdat__?_" He wagged a finger. "Do not be a sanctimonious nonbeliever, Citizen Storm, oh no. Have faith--" He spun about and hit the hurri-pose, "--in the Hurricane!" He stood up, hands on his hips. "But first I must retrieve Sidekick Ivory, and then we go to the hurri-ring!" He leapt off, with another _"Whooosh!" _and left Lance Storm to stare after him, wondering just whether or not he'd made a wise choice in tag partners.  
  
* * *  
  
"The following contest is the Four-Corners Elimination Tag Team Match for the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championship!"  
  
Pulse-pounding music started up as the words _2Xtreme _flashed on the screen. The fans -- particularly the girls -- started screaming as the Hardys appeared on the stage, accompanied by Lita. "Introducing first, representing the WWF, from Cameron, North Carolina, being accompanied by Lita, at a combined weight of 440 pounds... Matt and Jeff... the HARDY BOYZ!" The brothers from North Carolina -- each wearing a Hardy Boyz shirt (Matt with the "guns" hand and their symbol, Jeff one of their _Live for the Moment_ shirts) -- slid into the ring and proceeded to pose on adjacent corners as Lita posed at the ropes. They jumped down and ran to opposite corners to pose again as Lita turned around to face the ramp.  
  
A drum beat started up, with a guitar joining in, spotlights circling the arena before the vocalist shouted, _"Whoo-hoo!" _The screen lit up with the legend _Zed & Zeta _as the Z-Men emerged, with Dee following. Zeta was wearing the _CIW - Innovators of Extreme since 1990 _T-Shirt under his red jacket, while Zed wore a _Men of the Z _T-Shirt cut to be basically a drape over his ring attire. Dee wore a _Men of the Z _shirt as well as her usual baggy orange pants. "And representing CIW, being accompanied by Dee Meaner, at a combined weight of 475 pounds... ZED & ZETA!" The trio hit the ring, where Zed climbed up on one corner and boxed the air before raising his fists in the air. Zeta leaned out over the ropes in the other corner, wagging his tongue and flashing either a metalhead sign, the CIW sign, or the Z sign. Dee just danced a bit in place, then turned and flashed a grin at Lita, who nodded back. The Z-Men turned and faced the Hardys, who flashed the "guns" at them. Zed tapped his fists together, then flashed the Z, while Zeta flashed the CIW sign.  
  
_"Stand back!" _proclaimed a voice from the TitanTron. _"There's a Hurricane comin' through!" _Heroic music started up as the first three Alliance members walked out. Lance Storm wore black-and-silver tights, with Ivory wearing a black number. The Hurricane was clad as usual in his superhero garb, lips pursed in a frown as he came down the ramp. "And from the Alliance, being accompanied by Ivory, at a combined weight of 431 pounds... LANCE STORM & THE HURRICANE!" Lance slid into the ring and stared down his opponents as The Hurricane faced them, then did his hurri-pose, with Ivory raising her hands to boos.  
  
The three teams stared each other down, with the three women exchanging somewhat heated looks as well before a bomb whistled on the TitanTron. _"Yeah, we're comin' down now..." _Pyros exploded at the top of the ramp as the Dudleys emerged, carrying their titles, with Stacy Keibler smirking and walking between them. "And also from the Alliance, being accompanied by Stacy Keibler, at a combined weight of 515 pounds... they are the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Champions... Bubba Ray, D-Von, the DUDLEY BOYZ!"  
  
As soon as the Dudleys hit the ring, it erupted in an all-out brawl. The Z-Men ran straight for the guys who had taken their titles before Lance and Helms jumped them. The Hardys joined in on beating on the Dudleys until eventually it all spilled out of the ring, leaving the Dudleys in the ring with Jeff Hardy, Bubba having tossed Matt over the top rope to the floor, almost landing on top of Zed. The Dudleys whipped Matt into the ropes, then hit him with a big double flapjack on the rebound, with Bubba staying in the ring to stomp and drop elbows on the hapless Hardy. He finally tagged in D-Von, who started unloading stiff right hands. He took Jeff to Lance and Helms' corner, kicked him in the stomach, then tagged in Lance, who kicked Jeff in the ribs.  
  
The serious Canadian continued the assault, working the young Hardy over with sharp and strategic attacks, focusing on the ribs and generally trying to keep the high-flier grounded. He took Jeff back over to his corner and tagged in The Hurricane before hoisting Jeff up onto his shoulders. He pivoted as Helms ran in and swung Jeff into a neckbreaker as Lance dropped him in a Samoan drop variant. The crowd groaned at the move, booing, but The Hurricane didn't go for the cover right away. He struck the hurri-pose over Jeff's body, then dropped into the cover for a two-count.  
  
The deluded cruiserweight stood up, frowning, struck the hurri-pose again, then ran off the ropes, aiming a front dropkick at Jeff, who caught his legs, looked to the crowd. "Goin' downstairs now!" he called to the crowd before dropping his legs into The Hurricane's hurri-gonads. He lunged and tagged in Matt, who ran into the ring, clobbering Helms with a right hand before whipping him into the Z-Men's corner. He dropped into a crouch, as Jeff ran, sprang off his brother's back, and hit Helms with the Poetry in Motion. Standing up, Matt tagged in Zeta, who helped whip Helms into the ropes before hitting him with a double back elbow. Matt left the ring as Zeta stomped away on The Hurricane.  
  
"Come on, Hurri-crack!" Zeta yelled at him. He dropped an elbow, then whipped him into the ropes for a drop toehold and a elbow drop to the back. He stood up and flashed a metalhead sign, wagging his tongue out, then ran to his corner, hitching himself to the second rope for a missile dropkick. He stood up, looked to Zed, who was cracking his knuckles, then over to the Hardys. His partner looked at the Hardys as well, then shrugged and gave his partner the high thumb. Grinning, Zeta pulled The Hurricane up to his feet, then went over to tag in Matt Hardy again.  
  
Matt fed Helms more right hands before he went to his corner, going to the second rope and flashing the "guns." All at once, Lance Storm ran in, slugged Matt in the stomach, bealing him out to the center of the ring, then elbowed Jeff off the apron. He returned to his corner as The Hurricane got up, staggered, then tagged in the nearest Alliance member he could see -- Bubba Ray Dudley.  
  
Bubba gleefully went to work on Matt Hardy, stomping him and beating him around the ring. He finally scoop slammed him and dropped an elbow on his chest, stood up and did it a second time, then stood up, yelling and flashing the "guns" before dropping a double axe-handle on his chest. He tagged in D-Von, who began to unload stiff right hands to the older Hardy. He whipped him to the ropes and landed a spinning back elbow before standing up and yelling, "Who's da man!?"  
  
He went and tagged in Lance Storm, who continued the attack before clamping on the Maple Leaf. Matt yelled in pain, trying to get to the ropes, which he finally managed to do after about a minute. Lance went over and tagged back in Bubba Ray, who ran across the ring and knocked Jeff off the apron, then dished out two right hands to the Z-Men. He went back to Matt and whipped him into the ropes for a clothesline. The WWF and CIW wrestlers tried to get back in the ring, but the referee held them back as The Hurricane and Lance ran into the ring and cut the Z-Men off at the pass. Jeff charged at Bubba and D-Von, who caught him and stungunned him on the top rope.  
  
Bubba kicked Jeff out of the ring as D-Von pulled Matt up and shot him into the ropes, carrying him back into Bubba's now ready grip for the 3-D. Bubba covered as D-Von pulled the referee away from the fighting outside to count the 1... 2... 3. The Hardys were eliminated.  
  
The Dudleys wasted no time, however, in bringing their next victims. They rolled out of the ring and dragged Zeta into the ring as Lance and Helms kept at beating on Zed. The eight-time ECW Tag Team Champions continued to isolate Zeta and brutally beat on him for a few minutes. Finally, Zed managed to get back up from where he lay on the mats outside the ring. He pulled Lance off the apron and threw him into the security barrier, then clotheslined The Hurricane as he lunged. The ref was distracted by this, enabling Bubba to spread Zeta's legs and set him up for the Wassap Drop (sans Wassap) from D-Von.  
  
Zed returned to his corner and stretched out his hand, anxiously waiting for his partner to tag him in so he could exact some righteous retribution on the Alliance wrestlers. Zeta stretched to make a tag as D-Von grinned and pulled him back. He threw Zeta into Lance and Helms' corner, then tagged in The Hurricane, who started kicking at Zeta's chest before tagging in Lance. The Canadian continued the focus on Zeta's ribs, locking on an abdominal stretch. The smaller Z-Man cried out in pain as Zed paced angrily on the apron. Lance sneered, then glanced back and reached out his hand, locking grips with The Hurricane, who helped him stretch out Zeta.  
  
The referee noticed this, however, and broke the grip, destabilizing Lance enough for Zeta to hiptoss him. He staggered toward Zed and tagged him in, and the crowd popped as the burly ex-boxer charged into the ring, dishing out hard right hands to first Lance, then Helms, then each of the Dudleys. He thumped his chest with his fist and then yelled to the rafters. "You got some _hits coming!_" He pulled Lance to his feet and drilled him with a clothesline, then clocked Helms with a right cross.  
  
The Dudleys got back up, but Zed grabbed their heads and conked them together, turning around and kicking Lance in the stomach, then hooking him to hit the Z-Slam. He covered, but only got a two-count as The Hurricane broke it up. He set Zed up for the Eye of the Hurricane, but the CIWer shoved him into the ropes, then flattened him with the Jawbuster. He turned around and ate a superkick from Lance, but then Zeta got up and sprang off the ropes, leaping and twisting his body in the Zetasault, flattening him. He pulled Zed on top of Lance, but got double-teamed by the Dudleys, who charged into the ring and threw Zeta over the top rope, following to continue the punishment.  
  
The referee counted the fall on Lance, eliminating him and The Hurricane, then turned to the outside, where the Dudleys all at once hit Zeta with a 3-D on the floor. Zed reached over the ropes to grab at D-Von, who jumped up, grabbed the sides of his head, then dropped off the apron, hot-shotting him back into a double superkick from Lance and Helms. Bubba slid into the ring, climbing up to the top turnbuckle as D-Von scooped Zed up and handed him up to his half-brother, who stood upright, then delivered a Tiger Bomb out into the ring. The referee counted the pin, 1... 2... 3. The Dudleys retained the WWF Tag Team Championship.  
  
The crowd was not pleased. Dee Meaner was checking on Zeta, who was curled up in pain on the outside, while Stacy Keibler laughed from nearby. The CIW bombshell got up and smacked Stacy to the floor with a big right hand, only to have Ivory grab her to spin her around. Dee retaliated with a big back elbow, yelling at the traitorous diva as she retreated with Lance Storm and The Hurricane. The Dudleys collected their titles and their valet, retreating up after their fellow Alliance members as Zed and Zeta lay on the mats inside and outside of the ring.  
  
* * *  
  
In the Alliance VIP Room, Triple H paced, swinging his arms and stretching for his match later. On the couch, Stephanie watched him nervously. "Have they found Matthew Skinner yet?" she asked.  
  
"No," Triple H muttered, snarling. "No sign of him, but I swear to you, Steph, when he gets here, he's not going to leave with the WCW Title."  
  
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," remarked The Storm from the doorway. The Helmsleys both jumped and turned to see him smirking, his title on his shoulder. He walked into the room.  
  
"What happened to Stasiak and Morrus?" Triple H asked.  
  
"They're not deserving of whatever bonus you're giving them, Hunter," Matthew Skinner replied. He sneered at the Owner of ECW. "Hello, Stephanie."  
  
She whimpered and shied away from him on the couch. Triple H took a step forward. "What the hell are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm here to tell you, Hunter," The Storm took a step forward as well, lips curling in a disturbing smile, "that even though this match tonight is a No-Disqualifications affair, I don't want anybody interfering in my match."  
  
Now the Game smirked. "Yeah? What're you gonna do if somebody does? I'm not afraid of you, Skinner."  
  
The Storm just smiled. "I know you're not scared of me, Hunter, but your wife is." They both turned and looked at her, and Stephanie -- eyes fixed on the man who had tormented her the previous Thursday -- shied further back. Triple H looked back at The Storm, who was still smiling. "If someone interferes in my match tonight, Hunter, I'll come for your wife, and believe me, there are things I can do to her that will make your blood freeze."  
  
He smirked and rapped his knuckle on Triple H's WWF Championship, which was draped on his shoulder. "And just so you know, Hunter, I'll be coming for that one day." Still smiling that insane smile, The Storm turned and left. "Have a nice night, Hunter!" He gave both Stasiak and Morrus a kick as he left.  
  
* * *  
  
After this, Chris Jericho successfully defended his _Wrestlemania_WWF Championship number-one contendership against Kurt Angle. Angle had been quite upset that he didn't have another shot at Triple H, given that his attempt to win the title at the _Royal Rumble _had ended in a controversial finish when Stephanie had gotten involved and led to a cheat-to-win strike by the Game. Jericho, however, had made it clear he was going to come after Triple H again, and unlike his previous attempts, succeed in defeating the Cerebral Assassin.  
  
Angle had used his amateur and technical wrestling skills to great effect in the match, steadily wearing down Y2J and suplexing him around the ring. Jericho refused to go down without a fight, however, and continually rallied back, eventually managing to hit the bulldog and go for the Lionsault. Angle, however, had it scouted, and rolled out of the way. Landing on his feet, Jericho was then easy prey for the Angle Lock, as the enraged Olympian screamed for him to tap out. Jericho struggled in vain to reach the ropes for over a minute, and when he finally did grab the bottom rope, the gold-medalist simply dragged him back into the center of the ring.  
  
Another painful minute later, Y2J managed to get his free leg under himself, stood up, then hit a reverse enzuigiri straight into the side of Angle's head. He quickly went for the cover, only to get a near-fall as Angle kicked out, then threw him between the turnbuckles and straight into the ring post. Frustrated, Angle left the ring and grabbed a steel chair, sliding it into the ring as the referee checked on Jericho. The referee turned, saw Angle with it, but Jericho recovered before Angle could swing. He grabbed Angle's legs and promptly twisted him over into the Walls of Jericho, causing Angle to scream in pain as he struggled to reach the ropes.  
  
Eventually, Angle managed to indeed get to the ropes, then ducked under a chop from Jericho and go for the Olympic Slam. Jericho slipped free, however, and in his attempt to face his opponent again, Angle smacked into the referee, who stumbled into the corner. Jericho acted quickly, grabbing Angle in a full-nelson as he came back, then swept his legs out from under him, driving him face-first into the steel chair, which still lay where Angle had dropped it. At ringside, J.R. and Pickett were both clamoring over the "Breakdown" (as Jericho called the full-nelson facebuster), while Heyman griped about the WWF's "cheating tactics" to win a match. Pickett quickly shut him up by pointing out the Alliance's lack of a clean record.  
  
Jericho slid the chair out of the ring as the referee turned back around, then turned Angle over to pin him for the 1... 2... 3, thus successfully defending his number-one contendership. The crowd seemed split on how to receive his somewhat underhanded method of victory, but continued to cheer him as he left up the ramp, with Angle angrily trying to convince the referee of what had happened.  
  
* * *  
  
_The history package for WCW Championship Match  
  
_Black screen. Slow, dramatic music. Muted cheering sounds from the crowd. Words appear on the screen: **SIX WEEKS AGO...**  
  
Fade in. Smackdown, January 9. Booker T v. The Storm. The Storm is apparently down and out, Booker does the spinaroonie.  
  
**Tazz**: Yeah, there it is, Cole! The _real _most electrifying move in sports entertainment! The spinaroonie--  
  
As Booker gets back up, The Storm suddenly trips him up and slaps on the Necksnapper. Booker screams and tries to reach for the ropes.  
  
**Tazz**: Hey! No!  
**Michael Cole**: The Storm's got Booker in the Necksnapper! This match is over!  
**Tazz**: Come on, Booker! Get to the ropes!  
  
Booker taps as The Storm wrenches it in. Bell rings. The Storm is awarded the belt.  
  
**Tony Chimel**: Here is your winner... and the _new _WCW Champion... THE STORM!  
  
Black screen. **THE STORM IS THE WCW CHAMPION...**  
  
Cut to Raw, January 14. The Storm responds to a promo by Shane McMahon and Booker.  
  
**The Storm**: You see, Shane, now the belt belongs on someone who actually deserves it. Someone who has spent eight years of his life giving his blood, his sweat, his _life _wrestling in California, in Japan, and finally right here in the World Wrestling Federation! I can think of no one better to give this title meaning again!  
  
Cut to black screen. **...BUT FOR HOW LONG?**  
  
Music speeds up. Montage of The Storm's title defenses against Booker, Test, Rob Van Dam, his tag-team matches, all focusing mostly on the beatings he was taking.  
  
**Shane McMahon**: (voice-over) From this moment forward, the WCW Title will be on the line in _every single match you have._ And you will defend it every single night. But just to let you know, if by some miracle, you manage to hold onto that title until _No Way Out_, you will go face-to-face with...  
  
Shot of Rhyno coming down the ramp, thumping his chest. Series of shots of Rhyno Goring The Storm.  
  
**Shane**: (voice-over) ...the Man-Beast, Rhyno.  
  
Black screen. Music is replaced by a heartbeat. **DESPERATE MEN...**  
  
Series of shots of The Storm, bloodied, with the bloody streaks under his eyes, seething, about to snap.  
  
Black screen. **...DO DESPERATE THINGS.**  
  
"Papercut" by Linkin Park starts up. Series of shots of The Storm going off on his opponents, the referees, Billy Rose, and even Brick with a steel chair or his title belt.  
  
**Jim Ross**: The Storm's snapped!  
**Paul Heyman**: Matthew Skinner has gone off the deep end!  
  
The shots continue for a few more moments.  
  
**The Storm**: (voice-over) I will show them what agony really is.  
  
Fade to black. **TWO WEEKS AGO...  
  
**Fade in. Smackdown, February 13. Rain v. Ivory. Rain hits the Downdraft on Ivory, but the crowd starts booing and the camera swings over to show Test coming into the ring, and Rhyno behind her.  
  
**Cole**: Wait a minute, what's going on here? _No!_  
  
Rhyno suddenly slugs Rain in the stomach, then holds her in place for a Boot to the Head from Test, followed by a series of shots (from different angles) of Rhyno Goring her to the mat.  
  
**Cole**: Oh, and the Alliance has just gang-attacked the Women's Champion!  
  
Cut to black screen. **THE STORM SNAPS.** Cut to later that night, as Rain is being taken to the hospital. The Storm arrives and goes berserk.  
  
**The Storm**: Claire! Are you okay? What happened? Who did this to her?!  
  
Shane walks up.  
  
**Shane**: Hey, Storm!  
  
The Storm looks at him, then tries to attack, but is held back by officials.  
  
**The Storm**: Let me go, I'll kill him!!  
  
Cut to later that night. The Storm is in the ring.  
  
**The Storm**: Test, you get your ass out here!  
  
Heyman emerges instead.  
  
**Heyman**: All you have to do to stop the constant attacks by Rhyno and Test and the rest of the Alliance is lose the WCW Championship. Don't get snippy at me just because _you _weren't here to save your girlfriend.  
  
The music swells to a crescendo as The Storm suddenly swings about and strikes Heyman in the throat with his title belt. The Storm stands over the choking Heyman.  
  
**The Storm**: I grow weary of the noises you make.  
  
Fast snap cuts of The Storm attacking Heyman, and locking him in the Necksnapper.  
  
**Cole**: The Storm's absolutely lost it!  
**Tazz**: Somebody get him off Paul!  
  
Flashes of The Storm backing up the ramp, smiling a disturbed little smile as he surveys the carnage he's left.  
  
Cut to Raw, February 17. Series of shots of The Storm decimating any Alliance members he finds backstage as he stalks Shane. Shane runs for his limo, where The Storm corners him and beats him down, throwing his head through the window, then snarling in his face.  
  
**The Storm**: You picked the wrong person to piss off. You think you know what pain is, Shane? I will show you what agony really is.  
  
The Storm gives Shane the Downdraft on top of the car, then runs him off the hood and into a stack of boxes.  
  
Cut to Smackdown, February 20. Triple H and Stephanie arrive at the arena. The Storm promptly attacks and locks Triple H in the trunk of the limo, then kidnaps Stephanie.  
  
Cut to shot in the darkened basement, where The Storm menaces Stephanie, holding up a contract.  
  
**The Storm**: I want you to make it a No Disqualifications Match.  
  
Stephanie, terrified, signs the contract.  
  
**The Storm**: I want you to take a message to your husband for me...  
  
The Storm suddenly blasts her in the back of the head with the belt.  
  
**The Storm**: Tell him, when I'm done with Rhyno, I'll be coming for him next.  
  
Back to the black screen, with images of The Storm, smiling that disturbed smile, superimposed alongside a snarling Rhyno.  
  
* * *  
  
"The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship!" The crowd popped and cheered, then started booing as the low, aggressive music of Rhyno started up. "Introducing first, the challenger, representing the Alliance, from Detroit, Michigan, weighing in at 280 pounds... the Man-Beast... RHYNO!" The last ECW Champion emerged, wearing his usual ring attire, colored black-on-black this time. He thumped his chest with a fist, then raised both fists in the air, roaring, "_Who's da man!?_" He slid into the ring and went to one corner, repeating the schtick, then stepped down and faced the ramp, squeezing his wrist as he waited.  
  
The drum roll of thunder and lightning started up as the fans started cheering, and they all chanted the words that followed the cymbal crash: _"This is your Storm Warning!" _The guitar wailed and pyros exploded as Cold Steel's "Force of Nature" played. _"I'm a Force of Nature, I'm outta control! I live in the lightning, let the thunder roll! I kill the sunshine, bring on the rain! I am The Storm, and I'll bring ya the pain!" _The cheers became louder as The Storm himself emerged from the smoke of his pyros, wearing his _GeT__ SeT To GeT WReCKeD _T-Shirt and carrying his title on his shoulder. "And his opponent, representing the World Wrestling Federation, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 240 pounds... he is the WCW World Heavyweight Champion... Matthew Skinner... THE STORM!"  
  
The Storm's eyes were hidden, as usual, behind his black sunglasses, but his mouth was fixed in that disturbing smile as he walked slowly down to the ring. Rhyno paced inside, keeping his eyes on the champion, squeezing one wrist, then the other. Skinner circled around the ring, pausing as he passed the announce table. He turned and looked at Paul Heyman, who was looking at him somewhat nervously. The Storm smiled again, feinted toward the Mad Scientist of Sports Entertainment, then laughed as Heyman practically toppled backward over the barricade.  
  
"A bit jumpy, are we, Paul?" Pickett grinned.  
  
"Sh-shut up!" Heyman snapped, adjusting his headset and baseball cap.  
  
The Storm turned to the ring and rolled under the bottom rope, standing and raising his title belt in the air, then facing Rhyno. He tapped the belt with his fist, then his chest. "Mine," he hissed at the ECWer. "This is mine. It's gonna stay that way." As the Man-Beast glowered, Skinner passed the belt to referee Charles Robinson, who held it in the air, then passed it to the timekeeper. The Storm reached up and finally removed his sunglasses, tossing them to the outside as his cold gray eyes fixed on Rhyno's beady black eyes.  
  
The staredown lasted perhaps five seconds before some unvoiced agreement passed between the two men. At that moment, they launched themselves at each other, going for a tie-up, which The Storm immediately broke as he smashed his fist across Rhyno's face. He followed it up with a second swing, then a third, quickly backing his opponent against the ropes. There, he tapped his fingers on Rhyno's sternum. "Right there!" he snarled. "You ready?" Without waiting for a reply, he snapped his forearm across the Man-Beast's chest. The crowd whooped its approval as the ECWer cringed. The Storm pushed him back upright, tapped the sternum again. "One more time!" Another vicious chop and another whoop. Grinning now, The Storm stood him up a third time, tapped the sternum again, hissed, "Once more for posterity!" and chopped him across the chest again.  
  
He grabbed Rhyno's arm, whipping him across the ring and catching him with a clothesline, knocking him flat. The Storm quickly dropped an elbow on the now-sore ribs, then a second, and a third before going for a cover, only to get a two-count. The Storm, rather than look angry, smiled at Rhyno. "I didn't think it was gonna be that easy," he chuckled before snapping his fist into Rhyno's throat. Robinson quickly jumped in, warning him not to use the closed fist, but the damage had been done. The Man-Beast rolled out of the ring, clutching his throat and wheezing for air.  
  
The referee tried to keep The Storm back as he did the ten-count, but the Force of Nature pushed him aside, grabbed the top rope, crouched, then catapulted himself up and over in a _pescado_onto Rhyno. "Told you it wouldn't be that easy!" laughed Skinner as he pulled himself up. He dragged his opponent to his feet, then pointed at the ring post. "Right there!" He grabbed Rhyno's head and started running. "Get ready, you son-of-a--_agkh__!_" That last came out as the Man-Beast shoved him off, straight into the post, knocking him momentarily senseless.  
  
Rhyno took a moment to catch his breath through his bruised throat, then went over to The Storm, who was shaking his head, trying to clear the cobwebs. The ECWer threw him head-first into the steel post again, then a third time before rolling him into the ring. There, The Storm staggered to his feet, looking a bit punch-drunk, the bandage on his forehead flapping loose. Rhyno saw this and went for the still scabbing cut there, snapping his fist into it several times, driving Skinner back into the corner.  
  
There, Rhyno pushed his head back, sneering. "Right there," he growled, tapping the sternum of the champion seconds before chopping him there. The Storm grimaced in pain, arm curling protectively over his ribs. The Man-Beast didn't let that stop him. He pulled The Storm's arm back, then chopped a second time. He did it a third time, but then suddenly Skinner retaliated with a chop of his own. Rhyno reeled back and returned the chop, only to get one back as The Storm kept chopping back. Soon the Force of Nature was backing Rhyno out of the corner, chopping, then hitting an open-handed slap on the backswing before chopping again. He kept up this chop-and-slap-and-chop-and-slap rhythm until he had backed his challenger into the opposite corner.  
  
There, The Storm grinned and twisted Rhyno's right arm back over the top rope, then started punching him straight in his stretched shoulder. He grimaced in pain and shook his arm loose, but as he curled his arm under him, he exposed his shoulder again. The Storm immediately snapped his elbow down into the shoulder, getting another pained shout from the Man-Beast. Still grinning that disturbing smile, the WCW Champion pulled Rhyno out of the corner, as though going to whip him across the ring, but he held on, pulled him back, and short-whipped him back into the corner. Rhyno bounced back out, whereupon he was snared in a drop toehold, falling on his stomach.  
  
The Storm now stretched Rhyno's right arm out, holding it down, then driving his knee into the shoulder, further weakening it. "Matthew Skinner's playing this smart," Pickett said. "He's focusing on the shoulder, trying to make it harder for Rhyno to pull off the Gore."  
  
"Don't be too sure," Heyman replied. "Rhyno's from ECW. He knows all about functioning with injuries. Having a bad shoulder won't stop him from Goring The Storm and bringing the WCW Title back home to the Alliance."  
  
After several knee-thrusts, The Storm stood up, then quickly dropped an elbow onto the shoulder, causing Rhyno to shout and curl up over his injured shoulder. As the referee checked on him, The Storm turned around and started pulling the cover off the top turnbuckle. The referee turned to look at him, but Skinner -- as if telepathic -- turned back around and kicked Rhyno in the bad shoulder, causing him to roll away. The referee noticed what Skinner was up to, however, and started shouting at him. The Storm turned around and smirked. "No DQ, remember?" he told him before going over to Rhyno, who suddenly shot his arm into The Storm's stomach. With a loud grunt, The Storm bent over, allowing Rhyno to grab the head and a leg for a small package. A two-count later, Skinner was free from the hold and considerably displeased. He hit Rhyno in the back of the neck with a double axe-handle, then grabbed a reverse armbar, stretching out the shoulder again.  
  
After several long moments, The Storm released him and stomped him in the shoulder before pulling him to his feet. He chicken-winged Rhyno's bad arm, then swung him into the exposed top turnbuckle, further damaging the shoulder. The Man-Beast shouted in pain before the Force of Nature pivoted and hit a neckbreaker. The Storm slid out of the ring and pulled Rhyno's legs around the ring post, apparently getting ready to crotch him there, but the ECWer snapped his legs back, pulling his adversary straight into the post, head-first. The Storm bounced to the floor, grabbing his forehead, grimacing in pain.  
  
Still wincing at his neck and shoulder, Rhyno rolled out of the ring and pulled Skinner up, throwing him into the steel steps, then going over to the timekeeper and grabbing his chair. The Storm got up shakily, a little punch drunk, before Rhyno clobbered him with the steel. The champion went down in a heap as Rhyno dropped the steel, then rolled into the ring long enough to break the ten-count from the ref. (The match was, after all, "no disqualifications," but not "no count-outs.")  
  
The Man-Beast promptly hurled The Storm into the barricade, then rolled him back into the ring, setting him up in the corner, where he began to soften him up with stiff shoulder thrusts to the midsection. After five of these, Rhyno pulled him out and sent him into the ropes, catching him on the rebound with a monstrous spinebuster. He hooked a leg, but only got a two-count as The Storm impossibly kicked out. Rhyno snarled at the ref, then punched The Storm in the head as he started to come around. The bandaged wound on the Force of Nature's head had begun bleeding again, if sluggishly.  
  
Rhyno slid out of the ring to collect the steel chair again, bringing it into the ring, moving to smash it across The Storm's head again. As he raised it, however, The Storm suddenly lunged, jabbing his knuckles into Rhyno's throat again, causing him to stagger back and clutch at his neck, gagging for air. Skinner scooped up the fallen chair, then swung about and slammed it into Rhyno's bad shoulder. The Man-Beast fell over with a cry, as his opponent staggered back into the corner, still collecting his wits.  
  
The Storm dropped the chair on the outside as he clutched at his bloody forehead, then slid his fingers down his face, leaving the two bloody streaks under his eyes again. He started to pull himself upright, but then Rhyno got up and blindly charged, driving his bad shoulder deep into The Storm's abdomen.  
  
"GORE! GORE! GORE!" exulted Heyman, before his voice croaked out.  
  
"Don't pop a vein on us, Paulie," Pickett remarked sarcastically.  
  
Unfortunately for Rhyno, The Storm fell on the outside of the ring after the Gore, doubled over in pain. As for the challenger, he was no better than his recent victim. He lay on the mat, clutching his shoulder, which he'd foolishly used for the move. Matthew Skinner stirred on the outside, slowly pulling himself to his feet using the American announce table. He raised his head and looked at the three men behind the table.  
  
Jim Pickett took one look at Skinner's blood-streaked face, the maniacal gleam in his eyes, and insane grin on his face, then jumped back in his chair. "Oh, jeezus!" he yelped. The Storm just grinned again and turned away, picking up the chair as Rhyno rolled out to face him.  
  
"A bit jumpy, are we, Pick?" Heyman taunted, echoing Pickett's words to him earlier.  
  
"Shut up, Paulie," Pickett said after he recovered. "You have no idea what you're talking about."  
  
The Storm swung the chair around and brained Rhyno with it, knocking him back into the apron, then promptly adjusted his grip and spiked the rim of the chair into Rhyno's shoulder again. He laughed and stood his opponent back upright and smirked in his face. "Ready for your total ass-kicking now, Rhyno?" He spiked the chair into the stomach next, then the shoulder again, driving Rhyno to the floor.  
  
Grinning now, he pulled him up and rolled him into the ring, climbing up to the top rope and poising himself, waiting as Rhyno painfully got to his feet and turned around before getting flattened by the Windfall. Instead of going for the cover, however, The Storm shook his head, still grinning sadistically. He stood up, pulled Rhyno to his feet, then hurled his shoulder into the exposed turnbuckle again, then a second time, then a third time, getting louder and louder shouts of pain out of the Man-Beast each time. After this was finished, The Storm finally hit the Downdraft, then turned him over to lock on the Necksnapper. Rhyno, stuck in the middle of the ring, woozy and already feeling quite a lot of pain from his shoulder, had no choice but to tap out.  
  
Charles Robinson called for the bell as The Storm kept the submission locked on for several more moments before releasing him, getting up and reclaiming his belt, which he raised in the air. He then dropped down and lifted Rhyno's head. He pressed the belt against his face. "See this, motherfucker? This big gold belt belongs to me. Nobody, not you, not even Triple H, is taking it from me!" He stood up, sneering as he stepped out of the ring with his belt and left up the aisle.  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, as The Storm walked toward the trainer's room to get his forehead looked at, he passed by Triple H, who was leaving the trainer's room after getting himself taped up. The two stopped and looked at each other, the Game's face set in his usual frown, the Force of Nature's in that disturbing smile. Their eyes met, and they held in a long stare for a moment before The Storm stepped back and gestured for him to pass. "Go ahead, Hunter. I can wait."  
  
Triple H stepped out of the doorway, still looking at The Storm, whose smile slowy faded, until both men had their "game faces" on. Almost in unison, they each lifted their respective belt onto their shoulder and continued the staredown before they reached a silent agreement and turned away, Triple H leaving for his locker room, The Storm into the trainer's room. Neither man had said anything, but the point had been made.  
  
Sooner or later, they'd be clashing for the other's belt.  
  
* * *  
  
After the carnage in the ring from the last match passed, four more teams clashed over the WCW Tag Team Championship. The Brothers of Destruction -- Undertaker & Kane -- had to put their titles on the line against the Jersey Duo (Diamond Dallas Page and Kanyon), the Gemini (Castor & Pollux), and Tommy Dreamer & Raven. The two Alliance teams seemed to be working well together, tagging in and out several times amongst each other against Kane, who played the so-called "face-in-peril." The WWF and CIW teams, however, were practically at each other's throats, after the explosive confrontation the two teams had the previous Thursday.  
  
Soon enough, however, Kane had to make a tag, and he was not close enough to his own corner to tag his brother. He tagged in Pollux, who charged in and creamed Dreamer with a clothesline, then turned and knocked Raven off the apron before whipping the Innovator of Violence into the corner for a turnbuckle clothesline. Kanyon ran in and tried to help his fellow Alliance member out, but Castor ran in and took him down with a jumping calf kick before getting up and dragging Page over the top rope and throwing him into the Brothers' corner. Taker forgot about the tension between himself and the Gemini and remembered the tension between himself and the stalker, promptly wading into DDP with soup-bones.  
  
Dreamer managed to grab Pollux and whip him into the corner, but he slipped out of the way of Dreamer's follow-up charge, allowing the ECWer to smack into the turnbuckle. Pollux ran off the ropes, then came back and all but decapitated Dreamer with a move not unlike the Clothesline from Hell. Pickett called it the "Apollo-line," and was gloating as Pollux covered Dreamer for the three to eliminate him and Raven from the match.  
  
Pollux went and slapped Taker on the arm to signify a tag, then stepped back to his corner, smirking identically with Castor as the Dead Man grabbed Page by the throat and promptly chokeslammed him to oblivion for the fateful three-count. Now the Undertaker stood up, with Kane walking up beside him to face down the Gemini, who looked back at them.  
  
The staredown lasted a couple of seconds before Castor launched himself at Kane and Pollux at Taker. The two sets of brothers exchanged blows before Castor managed to send Kane into the ropes and land the Slash Kick Pollux, meanwhile, continued to trade right hands with the Dead Man, who eventually backed him into the corner. He sped up his rhythm and started snapping Pollux's head back, then tossed him over the top rope, turning around just in time to get a superkick from Castor, which sent him to the outside.  
  
Unfortunately, then the Gemini with the educated feet turned around to find Kane back up and on the top rope. The Big Red Machine launched himself and took Cas down with a flying lariat, then stood up and stretched his gloved hand back, waiting for him to get back up. Sure enough, as soon as Castor stood up, he got chokeslammed to hell by Kane, but by then Pollux was back up, and he landed another Apollo-line on the masked wrestler.  
  
Undertaker was back in the ring by now, however, and he forearmed Pollux in the back, then kneed him in the gut before setting him up for the Last Ride. Upon the flip, however, Pol suddenly punched Taker in the face, causing him to topple backwards, inadvertently hot-shotting Pollux off the top rope. The American Badass was not down yet, though, as it took more than a punch in the head to take him down. He pulled Pollux back over, took him by the throat, lifted him high, then chokeslammed him to the mat for the 1... 2...  
  
NO! Castor pulled the ref from the ring, then slid into the ring, ducking under Taker's clothesline and coming back with a massive spinning wheel kick. He helped Pollux up, then whipped Taker into the ropes. The crowd all stood in unison, yelling in shock as the Gemini caught him on the rebound, lifted him high, and then powerbombed him to the mat with the Twin Terror Bomb.  
  
All three announcers were likewise shocked. "God Almighty!" J.R. shouted at ringside. "Oh my GOD!" Paul Heyman cried. "Ho-lee shnykes!" Pickett added.  
  
"That's gotta be the first time I've ever seen the Undertaker powerbombed like that!" J.R. stammered, astonished.  
  
"I don't think anyone's even powerbombed the Undertaker, period!" Pickett pointed out. "The man's six-foot-ten, three hundred pounds!"  
  
Pollux hooked a leg as Castor pulled the ref over to count the 1... 2... 3. The crowd was half-cheering at the impressive finish by the Gemini, half-booing at seeing them dethrone a pair of fan favorites. The Twins' ominous rock music started up as they were presented the belts, which they raised skyward, then backed up the ramp, smirking and laughing in unison as Kane hit the ring to check on his brother, who was feeling the effects of the Twin Terror Bomb. Nonetheless, there were new WCW Tag Team Champions... and it looked like they already had a rematch lined up.  
  
* * *  
  
And in spite of all the hot matches so far, there was still one left. The WWF Championship Match between the traitorous Triple H and Stone Cold Steve Austin. The fans were pumped to see a confrontation between the two perennial rivals, and they didn't disappoint. The Game and the Rattlesnake picked up right where they left off, tearing into each other as if the months between their last clash had never happened. Austin was geared up to get his hands on the coveted WWF Title belt, and Helmsley was as paranoid as ever about keeping it.  
  
It did seem as though Triple H's mind was not on the match, however. He continually looked up the ramp, as if expecting to see either his wife (who was backstage, surrounded by every Alliance wrestler they could spare) or The Storm come running down the ramp. Austin, on the other hand, was so focused, it was as if he hadn't had a thing to drink that day, which of course was a bare-faced lie. Austin fought tougher than a junkyard dog while sober, and he got tougher the more beer he drank.  
  
Neither man could get the upper hand for very long, however, as the other would get back up and rally back to put his opponent on the defensive. They even tried to steal each other's moves. Hunter hit Austin with a Lou Thesz Press at one point, and even managed to hit a whiplash spinebuster. Austin, likewise, even busted out a high knee (made more dangerous with his knee braces -- both for him and for the Game) and the facebuster on the knee.  
  
Soon enough, as it came down to the wire, Triple H even managed to hit a Stunner on Stone Cold, who managed to get a foot on the ropes to break the pin. When Hunter argued with referee Earl Hebner, Austin got up and promptly gave Triple H a Pedigree. That looked to be it, but then Stephanie -- in defiance of her husband's orders, the Alliance's concerns, and her own fears -- came down and pulled Hebner out of position. Austin turned, flipped her the bird, then waited for Triple H to get back up, poised to deliver a Stunner of his own.  
  
That's when the crowd started clamoring as The Storm appeared in the aisle, head bandaged, but face still streaked with his own blood. He carried his WCW Title in his hands as he slowly stalked down the aisle. Stephanie caught sight of him, shrieked in terror, and ran around the ring away from him. The Storm just leered as he strode up to the ring. Austin caught sight of him and faltered for a moment, then turned back to Triple H, booting him in the gut before giving him a Stunner.  
  
Austin went for the cover, but then The Storm pulled Hebner out of the ring and threw him to the floor hard. He sneered and flipped Austin the bird, then hefted his belt into a ready position as Austin rolled out of the ring to face him. The two exchanged heated words.  
  
"The hell you doin'?" Austin demanded.  
  
"None of your fuckin' business," The Storm replied.  
  
"You mighta cost me the damn match!"  
  
"What I did or didn't do is my business, not yours!"  
  
By now, Triple H had recovered and rolled out of the ring behind The Storm. The Force of Nature looked back at him, then at Austin, then swung about and clobbered Triple H with the title belt, bloodying him. Austin promptly clobbered Skinner from behind and threw him into the ring to finish the punishment. He sent The Storm into the ropes, preparing to Stunner him, but Skinner shoved him off and smashed the belt across Austin's head as well before rolling out of the ring and leaving up the aisle. Triple H crawled into the ring even as Hebner got back up. The Game covered, the ref counted. 1... 2... 3. Triple H was still the WWF Champion, and he had Matthew Skinner in part to thank for it.  
  
The crowd was thoroughly displeased and made it clear as they began chanting _"Skinner Sucks! Skinner Sucks!" _The Storm, for his part, just smiled and tapped his belt as he looked at the bleeding Triple H in the ring before disappearing to the back.  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: The Storm cost Stone Cold the title at _No Way Out_, but doesn't look to be defecting to the Alliance. What is going through his head?  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
October 3, 2002 


	23. Disturbing Behavior

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Monday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: The Storm cost Stone Cold the title at _No Way Out_, but doesn't look to be defecting to the Alliance. What is going through his head?  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: Paul Heyman rejoined J.R. and Jim Pickett at commentary. **Victor E def. Booker T **after sidestepping the Scissor Kick and locking on the Jaws of Defeat for the submission. **Christian def. Edge **to win the Intercontinental Title after the referee stopped Edge from delivering the One-Man Conchairto, allowing Christian to give Edge a low-blow with the rim of a chair, then roll him up for the pin. **Dudleys**** def. Z-Men, Lance Storm & The Hurricane, Hardys **in the first 4-Corners Elimination Tag The Hardys were the first ones eliminated after a 3-D on Jeff. Next, Lance Storm & The Hurricane were eliminated when Zeta hit a Zetasault on Lance for a pin by Zed. Unfortunately, the Dudleys then gave Zeta a 3-D on the outside as Lance & The Hurricane hit a double superkick to Zed to allow the Dudleys to hit him with a top-rope powerbomb for the pin and the win. **Chris Jericho def. Kurt Angle **to successfully defend his #1 contendership at _Wrestlemania_after hitting a Breakdown onto a steel chair. **The Storm def. Rhyno **to successfully defend his WCW Title in a No-DQ Match, gradually destroying Rhyno's shoulder to lessen the effects of the Gore before locking on the Necksnapper for the submission. **Gemini def. Undertaker & Kane, DDP & Kanyon, Raven & Tommy Dreamer **in the second 4-Corners Elimination Tag Team Match. Dreamer & Raven were the first team eliminated when Pollux hit an Apollo-line on Dreamer. DDP & Kanyon were eliminated almost immediately thereafter when Undertaker chokeslammed Page to oblivion. The Gemini and the Brothers of Destruction had a staredown before opening up on each other. Finishers were exchanged before Castor stopped a Last Ride on Pollux, then stunned the crowd as the Gemini got up and gave Undertaker a Twin Terror Bomb for the win and the titles. In the final main event match, **Triple H def. Stone Cold to retain the WWF Championship**, after Stephanie came down (in spite of his warnings not to), followed by The Storm, who actually stopped the ref from counting the fall on Austin. Austin and The Storm exchanged words before The Storm clocked Triple H with his belt, then blocked a Stunner and hit Austin with the belt as well, allowing Triple H to win.  
  
FYI: List of Champions: **WWF **- Triple H (Alliance); **Intercontinental **- Christian (WWF); **European **- vacant; **Hardcore **- Rob Van Dam (Alliance); **Light-Heavyweight** - X-Pac (WWF); **WWF Tag Team** - Dudley Boyz (Alliance); **Women's** - vacant; **WCW **- The Storm (WWF); **U.S.** - Victor E (CIW); **Cruiserweight **- Billy Kidman (Alliance); **WCW Tag Team** - The Gemini (CIW)  
  
**Chapter 23: Disturbing Behavior  
  
Monday: _Raw_, February 24 - 1 day after _No Way Out_**  
  
Prior to the start of the show, a video was shown to the crowd using still shots and brief clips from the pay-per-view the night before, recapping the close of the WWF Championship Match between Triple H and Stone Cold, and especially featuring the interference of The Storm at the very end, in which he clobbered both men with his title belt, allowing Triple H to make the pin to keep his title. The crowd, which had been cheering the video up till that point, started booing and jeering.  
  
Moments after the opening pyro faded, the TitanTron lit up. _"Here comes the Money! Here we go. (Money talks!) Here comes the Money... Money, money, money..." _The crowd initially popped for the return of Shane McMahon, but that quickly faded to boos for the still bruised and battered would-be heir as he made his way down the ramp. He was being accompanied by Test, who wore his ring gear and a WCW T-Shirt. Shane limped some as he came to the ring, and nodded his thanks to Test as the defector held the ropes open for him.  
  
Shane took a microphone and waited out a fresh round of boos and scattered _"Shane's a pussy!" _chants. Test stood in one corner, arms folded, looking about with a sour expression. Finally, Shane spoke. "Last night, the Alliance had two main objectives. One was to keep the WWF Championship in the Alliance, and I am proud to say that objective was a success! Last night, my brother-in-law, Triple H, successfully defended his title against Stone Cold Steve Austin!" Another round of boos followed this proclamation.  
  
Shane frowned again. "The other objective was to bring the WCW Championship back home, and I'm sorry to say that objective was a failure! Rhyno did not succeed in bringing the title home, and furthermore, he's now unfit to wrestle due to the damage done to his shoulder by his opponent." A brief spark of cheers. "I speak, of course, of the man who calls himself The Storm... Matthew Skinner." Cheers came up for the man's name, but that soon degraded into slight boos. "Also last night," he continued, "Mr. Skinner decided to insert himself into Triple H's match. While I can't condone run-ins in a fine, upstanding organization such as the Alliance--" Shane smirked a bit at this blatant lie, while Test laughed a bit, "--I certainly can't deny their effectiveness. Thanks to Mr. Skinner's efforts last night, Triple H walked out with the WWF Title and Stone Cold Steve Austin walked out with _nothing!_"  
  
_Now_ the fans started booing in earnest. Shane went on, "Normally, after such an act, I would offer The Storm a spot in the Alliance, but considering the downright _sadistic _acts he perpetrated last week against the leadership of the Alliance, I am making it clear right now that The Storm will _never _be welcomed in the Alliance, and using my power as the Owner of WCW, I am ordering The Storm to come out here right now and put his title on the line in a match against Test _right now!_"  
  
There was a long pause as the fans alternately chanted _"Shane's a pussy!" _and _"Skinner Sucks!"_ Shane glared up the ramp. "Skinner, I know you're back there, and I know you're always wearing your gear, and I know you never back down from a fight. So you've got no excuse. Get out here and give Test a WCW Title Match right here, right now!"  
  
There was another pause, and then the clash of cymbals/thunder as Cold Steel's "Force of Nature" started straight up without waiting. The Storm emerged on the top of the ramp, wearing a plain black T-Shirt and his usual ring attire, but without his sunglasses. He wore a bandage on his forehead, and that disturbing smile was still on his face, eyes shining with malevolence. He carried his title belt down with him, eyes fixed not on his opponent, but on Shane.  
  
To Shane's credit, he did not chicken out as he saw that Skinner was making a beeline for him. Instead, he slid out and tried to get the jump on him. The Storm promptly spun on his heel and smashed his belt into the Owner of WCW's face, only to turn back and get cracked in the face by a Test clothesline. Snarling, Test pulled him up, then threw him into the ring as WCW official Nick Patrick ran out to officiate.  
  
Test quickly kicked The Storm in the ribs as he got in the ring, forcing him into the corner, where the defector started stomping away on the champion's chest. As he stopped to turn and glare at Patrick -- who was trying, in spite of himself, to call things down the middle, Test didn't see The Storm's face. After the grimace from having the air kicked out of his lungs passed, Skinner's expression returned to that insane grin again. Test turned back, and the Force of Nature stood up in a flash, jabbing his thumb into Test's eye.  
  
As the traitor backed off, The Storm hitched himself to the second rope, then leapt at Test, grabbing his head in midair, then swinging around him to plant him with a Tornado DDT. He went for a cover, but now Nick Patrick remained true to form and made a slow count. The Storm stood up, the smile fading momentarily as he glared at the shady official, then turned back to Test and grinned. He started punching him in the forehead, concentrating his punches around the piercing in his eyebrow. The former bodyguard shouted in pain and tried to roll away, only to have The Storm grab his leg, kneel on the other one, and clamp on the Twister Anklelock.  
  
As Test writhed and tried to reach the ropes, The Storm burst into a wild grin and started laughing. "That's right, Test, _scream! Scream for me! Scream for the pain! Scream! SCREAM!_" And when Test finally did start crying out in pain, The Storm just started laughing harder as he tilted his head back and cranked the anklelock in harder. "_That's it! Scream louder!_"  
  
Things broke down, however, as Shane -- ignoring his injuries -- grabbed a steel chair, entered the ring, and delivered his trademark flying chairshot straight to The Storm's forehead. Skinner crumpled, the bandage on his head flapping off as the cut started to bleed again. Shane staggered into the corner, dropping the chair as Test slowly gathered his legs under him. The Storm slowly started to get up, shaking his head to clear it, and causing the blood to flow more freely.  
  
Test was back up first, and grabbed the chair. He blasted The Storm over the head with it -- bloodying him further. The Force of Nature gave a shout of pain, hands going to his head, but to the Alliance member's surprise, the yell turned into laughter. "_Ahahahahahaha__!__ Oh, man, that was good!_" Test stood over him, looking down at him in bewilderment. The Storm lowered his hands, blood pouring over his face, staining his teeth pink as he smiled. "_Come on, hit me again!_"  
  
Snarling, Test spiked the rim of the chair into The Storm's guts. He groaned and doubled over, kicking his legs, but then the groan turned into more laughter. _"Ohhh... hahahahaha!__ Oh, yeah!"_ As he got onto his hands and knees, Test smashed him in the back. The Storm arched backward. _"Ahhhh...hahahaha!_" Now Test swung and smacked him in the face, knocking him onto his back. The Storm groaned again, but once more it just turned into more laughter as he started to turn over to get to his feet.  
  
Test stared at him in a mixture of surprise and unease. He'd hit The Storm with the chair four times, and he was just _laughing_ at the pain, like he was _enjoying_ it. Blood dripped from Skinner's face as he got to his feet, turning around with that insane smile to face Test again. With a roar, the Alliance member bent the chair over the Force of Nature's head, driving him back to the mat, apparently knocking him out in a pool of his own blood. Test threw the badly dented chair out of the ring, then turned to Shane. "Let's get the hell outta here."  
  
Then they heard it. A sucking in of breath, and then that psychotic laughter again. They both turned back to look at The Storm, who still lay on the mat, bleeding and battered. His eyes weren't all the way open, but his laughter continued to come out. Test's eyes bugged out, and he rushed over to him, mounting him and starting to punch him across the face relentlessly. "Goddamn it, stop laughing!"  
  
But each blow only seemed to make him laugh harder, though his face was a literal crimson mask by now, his hair wet with the blood soaking it. Test started hitting him with both hands until he finally seemed to drive him into unconsciousness, the laughter stopping. Test stood up, looking at his blood-coated fingers, then shook his head, whipping his hair back out of his face. "God_damn_," he muttered, turning to leave with Shane again.  
  
They were outside the ropes and about to start up the ramp when The Storm struck again. Nobody was sure how he had _anything _left in him as he got up as if possessed, ran off the ropes, then dove through them in a _tope suicida _into Test, crawling over him toward Shane, laughter screaming from him like a banshee. Alarmed, Test grabbed The Storm's legs, trying to pull him back, but the Force of Nature had a deathgrip on Shane's shirt as his blood dripped all over him. Shane wailed in terror as The Storm laughed in his face.  
  
"_Come on, Shane! Take a swing at me! I dare ya! I fuckin' dare ya! Hit me! You wanna see what I'm capable of, you little dip-fuck?_"  
  
Finally referees and officials came down to pry The Storm off of Shane and Test off of The Storm. Test quickly ran over to Shane and pulled him to his feet, running up the ramp with him as the officials formed a barrier around Skinner, who was trying to shove through them to pursue, the mad grin still plastered across his blood-soaked face.  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, the CIW locker room had watched all this with horror. "Holy shit, dude," Zeta said simply.  
  
"He's lost it," Victor E said, shaking his head. "He's fuckin' lost it. Call the white-coats, he's padded cell material."  
  
Voices rose and started yelling in commotion as everyone started talking, trying to make themselves and their opinion heard. Every now and then words like _Agony _and _The Hellions_ could be heard, but nobody seemed to want to come right out and admit that Matthew Skinner had indeed finally turned completely insane.  
  
Everyone quieted, however, when Scion rose from his seat in the corner, his face half-hidden in the shadow of his hood as he stared at the screen where The Storm's bloody face was frozen. Slowly, the Act of God walked across the locker room, people moving from his path as he strode up to the monitor. He stared down at the screen, head bowed, then raised one hand, his silver cross clutched in his gloved hand. He raised this in the air, and spoke something softly, too softly to be heard in the room, which had become as silent as a tomb.  
  
Then, all at once, Scion turned and faced Billy Rose, who was standing near Victor E and Jenny Black. "Find Vince McMahon," he told the CIW mastermind. "Warn him that under no circumstances is he to contemplate signing the ones from the darkness. To do so would be a mistake of the gravest caliber, and would spell almost certain doom for his company."  
  
Rose nodded. "You don't have to tell me twice. I'll work with Jenny and try to get to see him, even if I have to go to Stamford and bust into his office personally."  
  
Scion nodded, then turned to the rest of the room. "The rest of you, go to what members of the WWF that you know you can trust and warn them of what's coming. Avoid Matthew Skinner at all costs. By now, he will more than likely strike at you as well." He bowed his head, and his grave voice became lower. "I myself will be doing what I can to try and force the darkness away from Matthew, not only for his sake, but for all of our sakes as well."  
  
And then Scion turned and swept out of the locker room, leaving the CIWers to start clamoring in alarm again.  
  
* * *  
  
Elsewhere in the backstage area, Shane and Test both fled toward the garage, toward Shane's waiting limosuine. This time, the driver was standing outside the door, and when he saw Shane coming, he quickly opened the door to the main cabin, then dove into the driver's seat. The two Alliance members sprinted for the car for all they were worth as a mass of people emerged from the corridor. It was the officials, still trying to hold the bloody Matthew Skinner at bay.  
  
The limo tore off just as The Storm broke free and charged forward, face still a mask of insane glee. He stared after them, licking his own blood off his upper lip as he watched the tail-lights of their limo disappear up the ramp. He started to leave, but stopped as he saw a familiar black pick-up truck speed down the ramp and pull to a halt a short distance away. The Storm smiled as he saw the skull on the hood of the truck.  
  
Stone Cold Steve Austin jumped out of the truck and immediately ran around and attacked The Storm. "You son of a bitch!" snarled the Texas Rattlesnake as he unloaded several beer-fueled right hands onto the bloody Force of Nature. The officials quickly ran over to try and pull Austin off of Skinner, who was grinning and chuckling a bit.  
  
"Geeze, Steve-o, you hit worse than your old lady." The Storm started laughing uproariously as Austin tried to shove his way through the referees. "What, you think I felt those, Steve? _Look at my face!_ I'm in the _zone _right now, Steve. You could take a fucking Louisville Slugger to the back of my head, I doubt I'd feel it."  
  
"Convince these striped-ass bastards to let me go, I'll take ya up on that offer!"  
  
By now, Commissioner Regal made his presence known. "Let me through, let me through, I'm the commissioner, dammit!" He stopped as he caught a good look at The Storm. "Good heavens, man. What in God's sake's gotten into you?"  
  
"Nothing's gotten into me, Regal," The Storm told him, still grinning. "Though that didn't stop Test from trying to put a steel chair into my head."  
  
Regal stared at his blood-drenched face for a moment, then turned and had to step back as the referees held back another lunge by Austin. "And what in the bloody hell's wrong with you?"  
  
Austin pointed a finger at The Storm. "That som'bitch right there cost me the WWF Championship last night!"  
  
"Yeah, and apparenly now he wants a piece of my ass," the Force of Nature smirked.  
  
"I don't want a piece," Stone Cold corrected him, "I want the whole damn thing!"  
  
"Gentlemen, gentlemen," Regal tried to restore some sense to the situation, "we can't have you two fighting like a couple of schoolboys like this! The Alliance is out for blood--"  
  
"They got it," laughed The Storm, who sucked some more blood off his upper lip.  
  
Regal shook his head. "You're both on the same team here, so for God's sake--"  
  
"I ain't on nobody's team `cept my own!" Stone Cold scowled. "The only thing I'm after is the WWF Championship!"  
  
Regal looked at him one last time, then turned to The Storm. "Get him out of here!" the commissioner told the officials, who began escorting the WCW Champion to the medical office. He turned back to Austin. "As for you, you lay your hands on Matthew Skinner again tonight, and I'll have you suspended for a week! I'd make it longer, but we're in the middle of an Invasion, and like it or not, you're on the same team!" He pointed down the hall. "Now go on and get your arse out of here!"  
  
Austin gave him a sneer, then a classic "Stone Cold salute" before stomping off.  
  
* * *  
  
"The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the WCW Tag Team Championship!" Birds cawed on the TitanTron as two ECWers emerged from the entryway. Raven wore his "battle kilt" and a torn black jacket, his hair braided into a dreadlock-like look. He sneered at the audience as he came down. Alongside him was his one-time archnemesis, Tommy Dreamer, who wore black pants with a blue "TD" emblem on the left leg. He wore an _ECF'nW_ T-Shirt. "Introducing first, representing the Alliance, weighing in at a combined weight of 485 pounds... TOMMY DREAMER & RAVEN!"  
  
The two former blood enemies went to adjacent corners and both struck the "crucifix" pose. Dreamer stepped down and flashed a manic grin to the crowd as Raven threw off his jacket, exposing his tattooed torso. They faced the ramp as Raven's music trailed off. _"We... are... ALIVE!" _After the CIW bumper ended, ominous rock music started up. Two identical twins appeared, dressed virtually the same, wearing sleeveless shirts, exposing the tattoos on the upper arms of one of them. They carried the WCW Tag Titles on their shoulders. "And their opponents, representing CIW, from Seattle, Washington, at a combined weight of 540 pounds... they are the WCW Tag Team Champions... Castor and Pollux... THE GEMINI!"  
  
"These two men are unbelievably strong," J.R. said at ringside. "Last night at _No Way Out_, in the closing moments of their Tag Team Championship Match against the Brothers of Destruction, the Gemini did what no man has ever been able to do to the Undertaker and powerbombed him to the mat to win the WCW Tag Titles."  
  
"While I have to say seeing that surprised me," Jim Pickett said, "seeing the Twins emerge victorious was not. In CIW, they were the most dominant tag team in our company, holding the CIW Tag Titles a total length of fourteen months over three separate reigns."  
  
"Big deal," Heyman griped. "Real spectacular for a couple of nobodies."  
  
As this was all being said, the TitanTron showed the clip in question, featuring the Gemini hitting the Twin Terror Bomb on Undertaker. Castor stood in the ring, handing the belts to the referee, then lifted one leg and grabbed his knee, stretching it for a moment, then doing the same for the other leg as he smirked confidently at Tommy Dreamer.  
  
Dreamer just glared at him as Cas finished his stretch, then beckoned with both hands for him to "bring it on." The ECWer obliged, lunging at the fleet-footed twin with quick right hands, pushing him against the ropes. There, the Innovator of Violence grabbed his arm and went for the whip across the ring, but Castor reversed it, then nailed Dreamer with a big boot on the rebound. He followed it up with a sharp elbow drop on his opponent's chest, followed by a second, then came off the ropes with a legdrop before going for a cover. He got a two-count before Raven broke the pin with a quick shot to the head.  
  
This only seemed to enrage Cas, who got up and knocked Raven off the apron with a stiff forearm. He returned to Dreamer, pulling him to his feet, then muscling him back into the hostile corner, where he beat on him for a moment before tagging in Pollux. The tattooed twin joined his brother in tandem mudhole stomping before swinging him around into the neutral corner, where he started pummeling him with hard closed fists, ignoring the referee's orders to fight without them. After several moments, he pulled him out of the corner to snapmare him down, then slap on a rear chinlock.  
  
As the ECW stalwart struggled to free himself, Raven paced anxiously in the corner, obviously wanting to get a little measure of revenge on the Gemini himself after their humiliating defeat last night. The fans were already aware that these CIWers were not babyfaces, and so they were chanting _"E-C-W! E-C-W!" _to rally behind Dreamer, who was slowly starting to fight out of the chinlock. Finally, he managed to get to his feet and elbow free of Pollux's grip, then starting firing off right hands in the corner.  
  
This seemed to work until Tommy went for the whip out of the corner. Pollux easily reversed the whip on the smaller wrestler, but the two struck each other in the middle of the ring with a double clothesline. Raven started slapping the turnbuckle, stomping his foot to rally the crowd behind them as he stretched out his other hand to Dreamer. Pollux was slowly getting back up, as was the ECWer, but before he could get to Raven, Castor ran in, smashing the Master of Misery off of the apron again, then stomped Dreamer in the head. He returned to his corner, accepted the tag from Pollux, then dragged Tommy back over to the CIW corner.  
  
The fans were booing heavily as Castor continued the beating on poor Tommy Dreamer, finally shooting him into the ropes and nailing him with the Slash Kick. He crouched in wait as Dreamer staggered to his feet, then prepared to catch him for the Scissors Kick. Before he could go for it, however, Raven hit the ring and nailed him with the Raven Effect DDT. He started to pull Tommy into the cover, but then Pollux came back in, all but taking his head off with the Apollo-line, then rousing his brother. The Gemini stood up and turned to Dreamer. Pollux swung his fist deep into his solar plexus, doubling him over, then held him down for the Scissors Kick -- the G-Force Combo. Castor, the legal man, covered him for the pin and the win, retaining their titles.  
  
But the evil Gemini weren't done yet. They grinned as they pulled Raven back to his feet, sending him into the ropes. On the rebound, they caught him and swung him around into the Twin Terror Bomb, flattening him on the mat. Triumphant, the Twins took their WCW Tag Title belts and raised them into the air, then simultaneously dropped them onto their shoulders and left up the ramp.  
  
* * *  
  
In the commissioner's office, William Regal and Tajiri were doing their best to maintain order. Five women were all clamoring for his attention, and close to coming to blows with each other as they all argued. The object of their argument was the WWF Women's Championship belt that lay on the desk.  
  
"Ladies, ladies, please, calm down," Regal beseeched them. Finally, they all managed to quiet. Ivory and Mighty Molly (newly defected to the Alliance under the wing -- er, cape of The Hurricane) glared at Lita, Trish Stratus, and Dee Meaner. Tajiri stood just behind Regal as the commissioner addressed them. "Thank you. Now, due to Rain's unfortunate attack a few weeks ago, she is still in the hospital, and the doctors tell me she will be unable to wrestle for several months. Because of this, the Women's Title has been declared vacant."  
  
"Gimme the title!" Ivory declared. "She was about to lose to me when she got hurt, so the title's mine!"  
  
"Hell no!" Dee spoke up. "Give the title to a stuck-up traitor like you? It should go around the waist of someone who _hasn't _held it before... someone like me!"  
  
"Or me!" Trish added. "I can wrestle just as well as any of you!"  
  
"Yeah, if it involves bras or panties," Ivory sneered.  
  
"If you ask me," Mighty Molly remarked, "it should belong to a superheroine, like me, Mighty Molly!" She nodded, hands on her hips, as though this resolved the argument.  
  
It looked to get worse from there as they all started to speak over each other, but then Regal called for silence again. "Ladies, you'll all get your chance to compete for this belt. Mr. McMahon has already suggested we have ourselves a little tournament to determine who will have the title. The finals will be at _Wrestlemania_, and the winner of that match will receive the championship."  
  
Tajiri spoke up, saying something in Japanese, then whispering in Regal's ear. The commissioner nodded. "Yes, and to make sure things are equitable, four women from the WWF or CIW will participate, and four women from the Alliance may participate."  
  
"Lotsa luck," Dee snickered. "They've only got two of them that can wrestle!" She nodded pointedly at the two in front of them.  
  
"Oh, trust us," Ivory snapped, "we'll find two more. And then we'll bring the title to the Alliance! We'll showcase it on upstanding women, who won't wrestle ridiculous underwear matches or in mud pits!"  
  
Tajiri muttered something in Japanese, which prompted a snicker from both he and Regal. At this moment, Lance Storm stepped into the office, taking a spot next to Ivory. "What was that? Were you insulting the honor of Ivory? Perhaps I should teach you a lesson in respect, Tajiri, tonight in the ring!"  
  
"How's about we give you a lesson in ass kicking, you damn Canuck bastard!" Zeta walked in, standing next to Dee. "You cost us the WWF Tag Titles last night, ya robotic retard!"  
  
"What goes around comes around," Lance retorted. "You and your partner both cost us the titles. Now the titles are going to a company where the leaders don't let their decisions be made by people who can barely speak decent English!"  
  
Tajiri snapped something in Japanese, frowning. Regal stood up, scowling at Lance. "Listen here, you blockheaded pillock, if you're so anxious to have yourself a match, I'll give you one! Go and find three of your miserable toe-rag Alliance friends, and you'll face myself, Tajiri, and Zed & Zeta in an eight-man tag team match, and we'll give you all a bloody good hiding!"  
  
"Damn skippy!" Dee cheered.  
  
Lance sneered, then nodded. "You got it. I'll see you in the ring." He left, with Ivory and Mighty Molly following.  
  
* * *  
  
Scion seemed to glide through the halls, his monk-like robes billowing behind him, his face hidden in shadow from his hood as he pursed his lips, deeply troubled. His fingers slowly stroked over the silver cross he held in his hands, its chain clinking quietly as it dangled from his wrists. He stopped a passing stagehand, then asked him, "Have you seen Matthew Skinner?"  
  
The stagehand shook his head. "No, man, I haven't seen him."  
  
Scion sighed wearily, then nodded, clapping him on the shoulder. "Thank you, Joseph." He continued on his way (not hearing the stagehand say "That's Joe. Just Joe," behind him), more troubled now. He had been to The Storm's dressing room, and found it mysteriously empty. The WWF locker room had seen neither hide nor hair of him since his confrontation with Austin earlier, and his rental car was still in the garage.  
  
Sighing again, Scion started to head for the basement, wondering if perhaps Skinner was lurking down there like he'd been the preceding Thursday. Reaching the darkened underbelly of the arena, he flipped the light switch. Only a solitary light came on at the foot of the stairs. He frowned, then went down and stepped into the lonely circle of light.  
  
"I might have known you were here," he said to the darkness.  
  
"Oh, come now, Scion," a silky voice purred. "We know you better than that."  
  
"Of course you knew we were here," added a second voice. "You could feel it, couldn't you?"  
  
"What are you doing to Matthew Skinner?" the holy man demanded.  
  
"_We_ aren't doing anything to him," the first voice replied. "He's doing it to himself."  
  
"He's brought it all upon himself," the other voice chimed in. "Poor dear, heaping all that stress and pressure upon himself. Is it any wonder he's started to turn?"  
  
"You stay away from him," warned Scion. "You stay away from everyone in the WWF and CIW."  
  
"Scion," the first voice turned hard and frigid, "you couldn't stop us from coming to CIW, and if we desire it, you couldn't stop us from coming into the WWF either. You are just one man, and one man cannot stand against us."  
  
"I kept you at bay in CIW," Scion told the voices, "and I'll do so again here. Nothing has changed."  
  
"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, Scion!" The second voice sounded quite smug. "Things _have _changed! You just don't realize it yet."  
  
Scion turned in a circle, peering into the darkness surrounding him, then frowned again. "Rest assured, when I comprehend what your plans are, I will stop them. I have the ability, and you know it, even if you will not admit it."  
  
"By the time you comprehend our plans, Scion," the first voice told him, "it will already be far too late for you to stop us."  
  
"_You _know this," chuckled the second voice, "even if you won't admit it."  
  
The voices' laughter faded into the shadows around him, and as he climbed wearily up the stairs from the basement, Scion feared, deep in his soul, that they were right.  
  
* * *  
  
Out in the ring, the eight-man tag was in full-swing. Tajiri, Regal, and the Z-Men were squaring off against Lance Storm, The Hurricane, and the Dudleys. The Z-Men had been accompanied by Dee Meaner, who tried her hardest to offset the outside advantage held by the Alliance team, which had Ivory, Mighty Molly, and Stacy Keibler with them. In the early going, Zed and Zeta worked over Lance and Helms stiff and hard, seeking retribution for their costing them the WWF Tag Titles the previous night. Tajiri and Regal chipped in wearing down the Alliance team, but before long, Zeta got isolated.  
  
The Dudleys took great delight in working over Zeta's neck, which had been injured on Sunday when they gave him a 3-D on the floor. Lance Storm and The Hurricane also worked over the neck, hitting a combination Samoan Drop/swinging neckbreaker on the hapless Z-Man. Every time Zeta managed to get in any offense and get a near-fall, one of the three Alliance women would break the pin by dislodging Zeta or by putting his opponent's foot on the ropes.  
  
Finally, Dee tried to get involved by taking out Stacy, who had just broken up a pin by Zeta on D-Von, but Ivory and Mighty Molly both attacked her. In the ring, Zeta managed to counter a whip by D-Von by coming off the rebound with a Zetasault, flattening them both. Slowly, both men crawled to make the tag. D-Von tagged in Lance Storm as Zeta tagged in Tajiri, who flipped into the ring, ducking under a swing by Lance before striking back with a stiff superkick. He countered The Hurricane's charge with an armdrag takedown, but then Bubba Ray barreled into him from behind.  
  
Bubba threw Tajiri out of the ring, where he started to work him over, but then Zed and Regal got involved. The British grappler hurled Bubba into the security barricade, then started giving him hard left forearms as Zed grabbed D-Von and hurled him back-first into the steel stairs. Zeta, meanwhile, took The Hurricane into the ring, where the so-called superhero grabbed him by the throat, apparently intending to deliver a "hurri-chokeslam." The blue-streaked Z-Man, however, kicked him in the stomach, then folded him over slightly. He moved quickly, jumping onto his back, threading his legs between Helms' arms. The Hurricane stood up, but Zeta swung himself up, then down between his legs quickly, snapping Helms around into a snap powerbomb, which Jim Pickett dubbed the "Code Blue."  
  
Unfortunately, Bubba had managed to reverse a whip by Regal, so the Jawbuster intended for the Dudley struck the Commissioner instead. D-Von then got back up and attacked Zed from behind. This allowed Bubba to hit the ring and cream Zeta with a Bubba Bomb. As he dragged Zeta out of the ring, Lance Storm rolled Tajiri back in, not seeing the Japanese Buzzsaw stand up and gesture at his throat. As Lance spun him around, Tajiri suddenly spewed a green cloud of blinding mist into Lance's eyes, which went unseen by the referee, who was busy trying to maintain order on the outside. As the Canadian fell to his knees, clawing at his eyes, Tajiri calmly lined up, then unleashed a stiff kick straight to the temple, knocking Lance out, then covering him for the 1... 2... 3.  
  
The Dudleys hit the ring to try and get some revenge for their fellow Alliance members, but Tajiri quickly slid out of the ring, grinning and showing the green liquid still trickling out of his mouth. Regal got up, clutching his jaw, and giving one of his classic facial expressions as he tried to wiggle it back into place. The Z-Men got up and retreated up the ramp along with their cohorts, grinning as the Alliance glowered from the ring.  
  
* * *  
  
Michael Cole looked slightly nervous as he held the microphone. The reason for his nervousness became clear as the camera pulled back to reveal that Stone Cold Steve Austin was standing next to him. Elsewhere, the fans started cheering like mad. "Stone Cold Steve Austin, last night at--"  
  
Stone Cold stopped him with a sharp "What?" ["What?" parroted the fans, as they would every time Austin said the word or paused.]  
  
Cole hesitated, then started again, "Last ni--"  
  
"What?" "Last n--" "What?" "Last night at--"  
  
"What?!" Austin interrupted. "You wanna talk about last night? Twenty-four hours ago? Sunday? _No Way__ Out_? You wanna talk about Stone Cold's match last night against Triple H? The Game? The Cerebral Assassin? The WWF Champion? You wanna talk about how Stone Cold Steve Austin got screwed? I said 'screwed?' Cheated? Robbed?" The interviewer started to ask something, but the Rattlesnake cut him off again. "You better shut your mouth, Michael Cole, `fore I shove my fist down your throat. I tell you what, last night, Stone Cold Steve Austin was screwed out of the World Wrestling Federation Championship. But he wasn't screwed out of it by Triple H. No, he wasn't screwed out of it by his tramp of a wife, Stephanie, either. No, he wasn't screwed out of it by that piece of trash Vince McMahon, either. No, last night, Stone Cold Steve Austin was screwed out of the WWF Title by the WCW Champion. The Force of Nature. Stone Cold was screwed by the man who calls himself 'The Storm,' Matthew Skinner!  
  
"Matthew Skinner, ya wanna interfere in my matches? Ya wanna stick your nose in my business? Ya wanna get involved? Ya wanna dance? Matt Skinner, if ya wanna dance, go get yourself some tap-dance lessons, `cuz if ya stick your ugly face in my business again, I'm gonna have to take the business side of my boots to your ass and stomp a mudhole in ya!" Austin paused now, while the fans cheered loudly. "Tonight, I'm gonna get myself a rematch against Triple H for the WWF Championship, and if I see one measly hair on that head of yours near the ring, I'm gonna have to teach you a lesson in Ass-Whupping 316 at Stone Cold University, and that's the bottom line-- and that's the bottom line-- and that's the bottom line-- What? -- `cuz Stone Cold said so!"  
  
* * *  
  
Later that night, the main event was, indeed, the rematch between Austin and Triple H. They picked up right where they had left off, tearing into each other with their entire arsenals, but the match was not even five minutes old when The Storm appeared on the ramp. His head was now bandaged, but he still wore dried blood on his face. He watched with that disturbed little smile on his lips as the two men in the ring fought on, oblivious to his presence.  
  
Slowly, The Storm walked down the ramp, along the side of the ring, then took a seat in the chair normally occupied by ring announcer Lillian Garcia (who had left her seat seeing the bloodied madman coming), flashing Paul Heyman a grin as he did so. The Mad Scientist of Sports Entertainment, for his part, managed to retain his composure and did not react too much, his voice wavering only slightly with anxiousness. Pickett also seemed slightly on edge, though for an entirely different reason.  
  
Before long, Austin managed to knock down Triple H with a clothesline, then turned to yell at the cheering crowd, gesturing around his waist. He stopped as he caught sight of The Storm sitting at ringside. The two locked eyes, Austin staring with bewilderment that the Force of Nature would ignore his threats, The Storm staring back with that smile still on his face. Austin blinked first, then scowled and left the ring, stomping over to the seated Texan, sharing some choice words with him as The Storm stood to look him in the eye.  
  
Austin finished what he was saying, then prepared to give him the Stone Cold salute, but The Storm beat him to the draw, flashing him the double bird, then pointing behind him. Austin spun around just in time to duck a swing by Triple H, who clobbered The Storm in the face with the WWF Title belt. Austin waited for The Game to turn back around, then jabbed his thumb in his eye before bouncing his face off the steel post and rolling him back into the ring for a cover and a near-fall.  
  
The two continued to brawl as The Storm got back up on the outside, his face freshly bloodied again. Rather than seem angry, he seemed almost happy, if the insane chuckles uttered under his breath were any indication. He stood up, wobbling slightly, then grabbed his own title belt, heading over to the ring. Austin whipped Triple H into the ropes, intending to deliver his whiplash spinebuster. Hunter was ready to counter with his facebuster off the knee, but as he came off the ropes, The Storm swung his belt into The Game's back, staggering him enough for Austin to land the spinebuster for a near-fall as The Storm pulled him out of position.  
  
Now Austin got up and reached over the top rope, grabbing at the Force of Nature, who just jumped up, grabbed his head, then hot-shotted him off the top rope into Triple H's waiting reach. The Game kicked him in the midsection, then delivered the Pedigree in the middle of the ring for the three-count. As he stood up in celebration, The Storm charged into the ring, knocking him flat on his back with a well-placed WCW Title belt shot to the forehead.  
  
The fans started booing heavily as The Storm picked up the WWF Championship belt in his other hand, looking at it. After a moment, he grinned, raising both belts high in the air before dropping the WWF Title on Triple H's chest, then sneering down at Stone Cold, blood dripping off his face onto the Rattlesnake's prone form. This was far, far from over.  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: There's trouble brewing on the horizon as tensions continue to mount between The Storm and Stone Cold, and what will Triple H's reaction be to being laid out by the WCW Champion? And how will Chris Jericho get involved?  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
Live and Almost Legal  
November 13, 2002


	24. Shots Fired

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Monday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: There's trouble brewing on the horizon as tensions continue to mount between The Storm and Stone Cold, and what will Triple H's reaction be to being laid out by the WCW Champion? And how will Chris Jericho get involved?  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: Shane McMahon and Test came out to start, cutting a promo lauding the fact that Triple H had retained thanks to a run-in by The Storm, but then ordered The Storm to come out and give Test a match for the WCW Title. **The Storm v. Test ended in a "no contest" **when Test and Shane started brutalizing him with a steel chair. The Storm only seemed to enjoy the beating, however, and started laughing like a maniac, scaring the two such that they fled the arena. Stone Cold then arrived and tried to exact some revenge on The Storm for costing him the WWF Title, but was separated by Commissioner Regal. The CIW locker room, witnessing The Storm's psychotic behavior, feared that he was slipping further into darkness, but Scion stepped forward and told them all to be wary and warn those they could trust. **Gemini def. Tommy Dreamer & Raven **to successfully retain their WCW Tag Titles, finishing the two off with a G-Force Combo and a Twin Terror Bomb. Backstage, Allliance and WWF/CIW women all clamored over who deserved to get the now vacant Women's Title, since Rain was going to be out of action for several months, but Commissioner Regal said there was going to be a tournament, which would end at _Wrestlemania_. Lance Storm then showed up and started mouthing off, prompting Regal to order him to get three allies to face himself, Tajiri, and the Z-Men. **Regal, Tajiri, Zed & Zeta def. Lance Storm & The Hurricane & Dudleys **after Zeta took out The Hurricane with a reverse wheelbarrow powerbomb dubbed the "Code Blue," and after Tajiri took out Lance Storm with the green mist and a kick to the head. Elsewhere, Scion sought out The Storm, but found himself in the basement, having a verbal confrontation with two voices from the darkness. Meanwhile, Stone Cold cut a "What?" promo against The Storm, warning him to stay out of his business. In the main event, **Triple H def. Stone Cold **in a return match, during which The Storm did indeed come out, and ultimately hit both men with his title belt after Triple H pinned Austin with the Pedigree. The show ended with a bloodied Storm holding his belt over the unconscious form of Stone Cold.  
  
FYI: List of Champions: **WWF **- Triple H (Alliance); **Intercontinental **- Christian (WWF); **European **- vacant; **Hardcore **- Rob Van Dam (Alliance); **Light-Heavyweight** - X-Pac (WWF); **WWF Tag Team** - Dudley Boyz (Alliance); **Women's** - vacant; **WCW **- The Storm (WWF); **U.S.** - Victor E (CIW); **Cruiserweight **- Billy Kidman (Alliance); **WCW Tag Team** - The Gemini (CIW)  
  
**Chapter 24: Shots Fired  
  
Thursday: _Smackdown_, February 27 - 4 days after _No Way Out_**  
  
As the opening pyros and music of _Smackdown _faded, the TitanTron lit up again with the flickering lightning and rumbling thunder that signaled the arrival of The Storm. The fans started booing as the lights went out and the voice growled, _"This is your Storm Warning!"_ When the man himself appeared, wearing a plain black T-Shirt with his usual attire, the boos turned into a loud chorus of _"Skinner Sucks!" _Matthew Skinner just smirked as he carried his WCW Championship belt down to the ring. He stepped between the ropes, then took a microphone, turning to regard the derogatory chants he was getting.  
  
As the chants started to die out, he spoke. "This goes out to every boy wonder daredevil... to every six-six boot-throwing jackass... to every so-called Cerebral Assassin... and to every single bald-headed, beer-drinking, finger-raising,   
mudhole-stomping Texas Rattlesnake--" He paused, smirking at the new round of boos that he was receiving, then finished: "Seek shelter, because The Storm... has... _ARRIVED!_" He lowered the mike, sneering at the chants of _"Asshole! Asshole!" _the audience was now roaring at him.  
  
Adjusting his title belt on his shoulder, Skinner looked around at the new anti-Storm signs in the crowd. One read **Force of Nature: Just a Traitor**. Another had a tombstone on it and read **RIP Matthew Skinner **with a rattlesnake coiled up on the ground in front of it. But the most common sign in the crowd read **Why Skinner Why? **The Storm chuckled to himself before he spoke again. "Oh, yes, that's the question on everyone's mind, isn't it? Why, Skinner, why? Why would you attack Stone Cold Steve Austin, Storm? Why did you cost him the WWF Championship, Storm? Everyone seems to think I'm going to turn traitor and join the Alliance just because I cost Stone Cold the title. Well, guess what?" (_"What?"_ chanted a few smart alleck fans.) "I did it just because I could!"  
  
As that sunk in, The Storm sneered. "That's right, I'm not joining the Alliance. I've made my extreme distaste for Shane McMahon and Paul E. Dangerously Obnoxious quite clear. I cost Austin the title simply because I am a Force of Nature. You can't trust a Force of Nature. Just when you think you're on top of the world, you can expect the skies to just open up and rain on your little victory parade. The reason I cost Stone Cold the title is because the right to take the WWF Title away from Triple H is reserved for one person, and one person only, and that's me! That's why I'm going to march right back to Commissioner Regal's office and I'm going to tell him to make a match between myself and Triple H for the WWF Championship, and once I beat him, then I will be the new _unified _Champion of the World! And just to make things all the sweeter, that much more special, I'm going to have our esteemed commissioner book that match at _Wrestlemania!_"  
  
The fans were really getting on The Storm's case now, with the _"Asshole!" _chants mingling with the _"Skinner Sucks!" _chants. Then the TitanTron lit up again with the legend _Y2J _and a timer that quickly counted down to _0.00._ The lights went out and pyros exploded on the stage. _"Yeah, you know I gotcha, yeah, one -- BREAK THE WALLS DOWWWWWN!" _The lights came up on the form of Chris Jericho, who was looking up at the screen, arms extended and shaking, a microphone in one hand. He wore a _Jerichohol _T-Shirt over a pair of his usual flashy tights. He turned around, pumping his arm to jack up the cheering crowd, then looked at The Storm in the ring. The Force of Nature's smirk had turned into a forbidding frown as Jericho walked down the ramp.  
  
"Matthew Skanker," Jericho began, using his habit of deliberately mispronouncing names, "I came out here to do two things. The first is to ask you to please, _puhleeeeze SHUT THE HELL UP!_" The fans cheered and started chanting _"Y2J! Y2J!" _before he continued. "The second is to point out a little snafu you might run into when you go ask Commissioner Regis for a _Wrestlemania _title shot. Yeah, that snafu is a little Y2J Problem, `cuz _I _am the one who is #1 contender at _Wrestlemania_, not you! So you can forget about your little plan to go to the greatest spectacle of this business to become the Unified Champion, `cuz, junior, you ain't got the shot, I do!"  
  
The Storm scowled, then smirked again. "Jerky-ho, first off, you're lucky I'm in a good mood right now, `cuz otherwise I'd come out there and kick your ass straight back to Canadia for interrupting me. Second, you're right, you _are _the #1 contender. But that's a problem easily fixed. All's I gotta do is go back there and tell Regal to make _me _the #1 contender. It shouldn't be a problem, since we all know you don't have what it takes to beat me, just like we all know you don't have what it takes to beat Triple H." Jericho now wore a frown of his own as he reached the bottom of the ramp. The Storm saw this. "Oh, what's the matter, Jerky-ho, the truth hurt? Facts are facts, Chris. In all of our matches together, you've never beaten me. In all of your matches against Triple H, he's right, you've never beaten him. So, Chris, tell me, what gives you the right to be #1 contender over me?"  
  
"I'll tell you what it is, Matthew Skanker," Jericho said, now standing outside the ropes. "First is I won the Royal Rumble, which _gives _me the right. And second is I've got each and every single one of these Jerichoholics here tonight supporting me, and they're all just begging me to give you a Y2J beating that you will never--" _"Eeeeeeeever!" _"--ever forget agayn!"  
  
The Storm just laughed again. "Chris, we've been over this. I'm going to speak slower, because I know you're Canadian." The fans booed again. "You. Can't. Beat. Me. Does that blond hair go all the way to your brain, Chris? How's about I just kick your ass right here, then go back there, drag out a referee, pin your ass, and then _I'll _be #1 contender! I'm an undefeated champion, Jerky-ho, and I mean to stay that way!"  
  
The two of them were now nose-to-nose, glaring at each other, when the TitanTron lit up again, playing the music of "No Chance." A mixture of cheers and boos greeted the WWF Chairman as he came down to the ring, collecting his own microphone as he separated the two. Vince McMahon gave them both a glare. "Just what the hell is the matter with you two?! Need I remind you that we're in the middle of a damn invasion here? Those ungrateful children of mine can smell blood in the water, and dammit, I'm not going to have my company fall apart like this!" The Storm advanced again, but Mr. McMahon pushed him back. "Hey, listen, if you two are so eager to kick the crap out of each other, then, in the interest of fairness, we'll have for our main event tonight, a two-falls match! The first fall, just to satisfy that scheming son of mine, will be for the WCW Title, and the second fall will determine just who the #1 contender at _Wrestlemania _will be!"  
  
The Storm smiled. "I've got no problem with that, Vince. It'll give me a chance to prove that I'm the one who should be #1 contender, and I'll also prove that no matter how good Jericho talks, he can't beat me, but the simple fact is I am a Force of Nature, and I am the WCW Heavyweight Champion of the World, and Y2J Chris Jericho will never..." He paused, then sneered as he said, "_eeeeeeeeeeever_ amount to a damn thing in this business."  
  
After Skinner finished talking, Jericho blinked as though coming out of a trance. "Oh, I'm sorry, Matthew Skanker, I couldn't hear a word you were saying because all the hot air you're spewing is blocking up my ears." Skinner glowered, lowering his belt off of his shoulder and looking ready to charge as Jericho continued. "You say that I can't beat you? Well, Skanker, I'm more focused now than I've ever been at any other point in my career! I'm so close to the WWF Title I can almost smell it, and after tonight, when I _do _finally beat you, I will prove why I am the #1 contender, why I am the Ayatollah of Rock-and-Rollah, and why you are going to be downgraded to a simple tropical depression and _that_, Skanker, is your Y2J Warning!"  
  
The two of them continued glowering at each other as Jericho's music hit, with Mr. McMahon attempting to keep the two of them from ripping out each other's throats.  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, Lilian Garcia interviewed Scion, whose face, as usual, was half-hidden in the shadows of his hood. "Scion, tonight you face Test, but it's no secret backstage that since Sunday night, you've been preoccupied with what is going on with The Storm, Matthew Skinner."  
  
"That is correct, Lilian," the enigmatic holy man replied. "Matthew and I have known each other since we both worked back in the old CIW. I have dedicated my life to battling the forces of darkness, and I can tell you right now that Matthew is teetering dangerously close to what is often termed the Darkside. Believe me when I tell you that I am doing everything in my power to prevent this from happening, but the truth is I cannot help Matthew unless he wants my help, and I fear that may not happen. Know this: if Matthew Skinner does succumb to the Darkside, then nobody -- not the Alliance, not the WWF, not CIW, _nobody _-- will be safe from his wrath."  
  
Lilian looked a little spooked, but managed to ask her next question. "What about your match tonight with Test? Will you be able to stay focused on it?"  
  
"That you need not worry about," Scion replied. "This man, whom some would call a modern-day Judas, will fall, and I shall speed him along that path." Without another word, he swept off toward the ring for his match.  
  
* * *  
  
In the match, Test came out as the early aggressor, attacking Scion before he could finish his pre-match ritual and set down his cross and remove his robe. The traitorous Canadian continued to beat on the holy man and slam him around the ring until he got a near-fall off of a powerslam. As Test argued with the referee, Scion got back up, looking a bit peeved.  
  
Test turned around just as Scion hurled off his robe and began to fight back. Test was rocked back by the enigmatic wrestler's right hands and chops to the chest, backing him into the corner. There, Scion pushed his head back, then reared back before delivering a hard slap to the sternum. He followed it up with a second, then a third before whipping Test across the ring with enough force to bounce out of the corner into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a near-fall. Scion stood up, backed against the ropes, then came back with a falling kneedrop to the throat.  
  
Finally, Scion began to soften him up and looked to finish early after a scoop slam. The holy man climbed to the top rope, apparently looking for the Jesus Wept. Test, however, got up enough to shove the ref into the ropes, crotching Scion and toppling him into the ring. Test got back up, went over to the CIWer and turned him onto his back before folding him over for a pin. As he did so, Test placed his feet on the second rope for leverage, but only got a two-count before Scion kicked out.  
  
Angry, Test stalked across the ring, then crouched, slapping his thigh, signaling for his Boot to the Head finisher. Scion got to his feet and turned around, but ducked under the boot, going off the ropes as he did so, coming back with a high clothesline. Recovering from the landing, Scion, face stern, faced Test and made the sign of the cross with his hand, then waited for the man to get to his feet. When the WCWer faced him, the holy man sent him into the ropes, then caught him on the rebound, lifted him up, then Rydien-bombed him down in the Fall from Grace. He covered, 1... 2... 3, and was victorious.  
  
His job finished, Scion stood up, retrieved his cross and robe, then left up the ramp, nodding to cheering fans as he went.  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, The Hurricane leapt into his shared locker room with Lance Storm, complete with the accompanying _Whoosh! _sound-effect. Mighty Molly, his pink-clad sidekick, soon followed. They found Lance facing away from them, rubbing at his face with a towel. "Hark! What have we here, loyal sidekick?" the self-proclaimed superhero asked Molly. "It is our always-athletic, sometimes-skeptical, ever-serious partner, Lance Storm!"  
  
"Holy adjectives, Hurricane!" Mighty Molly replied. "You're right!" They swiveled their heads in time to look at each other, and the two shared a thumbs-up, "As always!" And they swiveled their heads back to look at Lance, who seemed to ignore them.  
  
"Hold on, Molly, our friend seems to be in a maliciously miffed mood!" The Hurricane walked over to him. "Citizen Storm, what seems to be the trouble?"  
  
"Trouble?" snapped Lance. He stood and finally faced Helms. Now the source of his frustration became clear. His face was stained green. "Look at my face! That spastic Japanese imbecile spewed green mist all over my face, costing me the match!"  
  
"Holy infractions, Citizen Storm!" Mighty Molly frowned. "A most vicious and despicable violation of the rules, indeed!"  
  
"Exactly," Lance said, pointing at Molly. "Which is why if it weren't for the fact that I can't get this green stuff off my face, I'd go out there and teach Tajiri a lesson in respect for the standards and rules of this business!"  
  
"Never fear!" The Hurricane proclaimed. "I shall undertake this task, Citizen Storm, and vanquish that vile villain Tie-jiri!"  
  
"We shall smite him with the Hammer of JUSTICE!" Mighty Molly added, jumping onto a bench and striking a superheroic pose, fist in the air.  
  
Gently, The Hurricane pulled her down off the bench. "Sidekick, two things you must still learn. First of all, you must never upstage the superhero!" Mighty Molly bowed her head in apology. "And second, you do it like this!" Then he leapt onto the bench and struck a superheroic pose, finger pointed forward, face set sternly. Molly jumped up beside him and tried to imitate it, as Lance got fed up and left the locker room, still rubbing at his face with his towel.  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, the Gemini were walking around, sporting CIW T-Shirts and their WCW Tag Title belts. A stagehand happened to be in their way, and got summarily shoved aside as the twin brothers headed for their locker room. Pollux was bragging. "I tell you, Cas, we're gonna keep movin' up in the world. Right now we're WCW Tag Champs, soon we'll be WWF Tag Champs, and nobody's gonna mess with us!"  
  
"No doubt, Pol, no doubt. Hell, we kicked Taker and Kane's asses, nobody's gonna wanna take us on!" Castor grinned, then opened the door for his brother to their private locker room, closing it behind them. The camera stayed on the door for a moment, and then loud noises came from inside. Crashes and other loud noises. The sounds of a severe beating. And it sounded like the Gemini were losing.  
  
Finally, the door smashed open as Castor came flying out, going straight into the ubiquitous metal pipes stacked against the opposite wall. He flopped to the floor as his title belt was chucked out to land on his back. Undertaker stepped out of the room and stomped the twin with the educated feet in the head. "See you around, boy!" the Dead Man snarled as he walked off.  
  
Shortly thereafter, Pollux came flying out as well, tripping over his brother and landing on top of him as his belt was chucked out as well. Kane emerged next. He just looked down at Pollux's motionless form, whipped his hair back out of his eyes, then just said, "Bitch." He walked off after his brother.  
  
* * *  
  
The fans popped as Tajiri's Oriental theme hit, signaling the Japanese Buzzsaw's approach to the ring. The former ECWer nodded to the fans as he walked into the ring, where he posed on the ropes, grinning and nodding his head. "The following contest is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first -- representing the WWF -- from Japan, weighing in at 205 pounds... TAJIRI!"  
  
_"Stand back! There's a Hurricane comin' through!" _The superheroic music began to play for a moment before another voice chimed in, _"Holy sidekicks, Hurricane! It's Mighty Molly!" _The music continued as the two delusional superstars marched out, striking "justice" poses on the ramp before continuing. "And his opponent -- representing the Alliance and being accompanied by Mighty Molly -- from parts unknown, weighing in at 191 pounds... THE HURRICANE!" As the pair reached the bottom of the ramp, however, Lance Storm appeared at the top, still mopping his face with a towel to little effect. The green stain was still there.  
  
The Hurricane stepped in the ring, lips pursed in a frown as he removed his cape and handed it to Molly. He pivoted, one foot in the air, then planted his foot and marched up to Tajiri, who looked at him. The Hurricane pointed at Tajiri, pointed at Lance, then put his hands to his throat and mimed the mist-spewing motion before spreading his arms. "_Wassapwitdat?!_" Helms demanded of Tajiri.  
  
The Japanese wrestler replied by snapping out his right foot and kicking The Hurricane in the side of the head. Helms reeled back as Tajiri moved in with some quick forearms, then a series of kicks to the legs and knees and midsection. In a moment, Tajiri had him backed into the corner, where he slapped him in the sternum. The Hurricane cringed as Tajiri grinned to the crowd before doing it a second time. Then he grabbed his arm and whipped him across the ring, kicking him in the head again as he staggered out of the corner. The kick caused The Hurricane to turn around, woozy.  
  
Tajiri quickly grabbed Helms as though going for a back suplex, but instead propped him up on the corner. Tajiri then kicked him in the small of the back, causing The Hurricane to dangle backwards out of the corner, in the "Tree of Woe" position. The Japanese Buzzsaw backed up, grinning and pointing at Helms, nodding his head. Mighty Molly ran around the ring, rushing over to try and help free her mentor. Tajiri came running in, intending to deliver a baseball slide to Helms' face.  
  
Just as Tajiri started to slide, however, Molly pulled The Hurricane up and out of harm's way. As a result, the former ECWer slid crotch-first into the ring post, eliciting a groan from both him and the audience. Helms disentangled himself and got up in the ring, stomping away on Tajiri's skull before picking him up and slamming him in the middle of the ring. He followed this up with a quick legdrop, then a cover for a two-count.  
  
Frowning again, The Hurricane bent over Tajiri's face, striking the hurri-pose as he did so. Tajiri responded by snapping his foot up and into the top of Helms' head. The self-proclaimed superhero fell over as Tajiri nipped back to his feet, clapping his hands, then setting him up for the Buzzsaw Kick. The Hurricane got up to his knees, then swiftly ducked under the kick as Tajiri lashed out. The Japanese wrestler turned back, straight into a thumb to the eyes before Helms grabbed him and dumped him by the ramp.  
  
The referee was distracted by Molly getting in the ring and helping The Hurricane affix his cape back to his shoulders, and so he didn't see Lance Storm rush down the ramp and start beating on Tajiri, snarling about the green stain on his face before sending Tajiri into the ring post, then rolling him back into the ring. Tajiri slowly got back to his feet as The Hurricane perched on the top rope, cape attached once again. As the former ECWer faced him, Helms leapt off the top with a high crossbody, which missed as Tajiri ducked under it, starting to unleash another blistering series of kicks.  
  
Finally, Tajiri kicked out the legs and unloaded the Buzzsaw Kick to The Hurricane's head, dropping into a cover. But Mighty Molly was not about to let "justice" fall that easily. She jumped onto the apron and distracted the referee as Lance Storm slid into the ring and prepared to unleash a superkick on Tajiri. The Japanese Buzzsaw turned around and caught the kick, spun him around, then clutched at his jaw before suddenly spewing the blinding green mist. Lance Storm, however, had it scouted now and ducked, which meant that the recovered Hurricane took the mist square in the eyes and fell back into the corner, clutching at his face.  
  
Referee Mike Sparks turned back just in time to see Tajiri duck a clothesline from Lance, then stand and stroke at his throat. Tajiri turned around and suddenly spewed a cloud of red mist straight into Lance's face. The Canadian started screaming, clutching his face, then fell to the mat, rolling quickly out of the ring as Tajiri glanced back to The Hurricane, who staggered out of the corner toward him. The Japanese wrestler waited until he was in range, then unleashed a stiff superkick to the delusional Alliance member and covered for the 1... 2... 3.  
  
At ringside, Tazz was on color commentary and was demanding to know why the referee didn't disqualify Tajiri for using the mist. Michael Cole replied that the referee only saw Tajiri spew the mist into Lance Storm's face, not The Hurricane, so as far as the ref was concerned, that's legal! Jim Pickett, who was on the third headset, chuckled that the ref probably couldn't tell that Helms had gotten a faceful of mist since it blended in with the superhero's mask.  
  
* * *  
  
"The following contest is scheduled for two falls, with the first being for the WCW Championship, and the second to determine the #1 contender for the World Wrestling Federation Championship!"  
  
The crowd cheered as the TitanTron lit up with the Y2J timer, counting down to 0.00 before the lights went out. Pyros exploded and the music started up: _"Yeah, you know I gotcha, yeah, one -- BREAK THE WALLS DOWWWWWN!" _The lights came back up on Chris Jericho, who stood facing the screen, arms extended. He turned around, pumping his arm, then strode down to the ring, jacking himself and the audience up for the match. "Introducing first, from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, weighing in at 231 pounds... 'Y2J' CHRIS JERICHO!"  
  
Jericho stepped into the ring and paced around, looking up the ramp and then crouching in wait. His music faded, replaced by the thundrous drumroll and eventualy cymbal crash, the lights going out again. _"This is your Storm Warning!" _The fans booed as the music of Cold Steel roared up, the lights coming back up to reveal The Storm standing on the stage, again wearing a black T-shirt and wearing his championship belt around his waist. "And his opponent, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 240 pounds... he is the WCW Champion... Matthew Skinner, 'THE STORM!'"  
  
The fans were booing heavily and chanting _"Skinner Sucks!" _as he came down to the ring, tossing his belt to a stagehand, then sliding into the ring to begin brawling with Jericho. The two traded right hands until Skinner blocked one swing and drove his knee into the Canadian's stomach. Sneering, he knocked Jericho down with a stiff shot to the temple, then pulled him up and threw him into the corner, where he started chopping at Jericho's chest. After four chops, The Storm punched him in the head, then started kicking and stomping away at his midsection.  
  
He paused and laughed, turning to gesture rudely to the booing crowd. He spat in referee Earl Hebner's direction, then turned back to Jericho, whom he pulled back upright and then set him on top of the turnbuckle. The Storm chuckled, then chopped him in the chest again before climbing to prepare to superplex him. Jericho fought out of the front face-lock, then delivered a quick headbutt to dislodge his opponent, who fell and crashed to the mat. He then stood up on the second rope and waited for Skinner to get back up before hitting a missile dropkick to the back of his head.  
  
As he got back up, Jericho stomped him in the head, then chopped him in the chest twice. After the second one, however, The Storm snarled and chopped him back. Jericho reeled, then fired back with a chop of his own. Skinner staggered slightly, then chopped him again. This continued for a couple of exchanges before The Storm started getting the upper hand, chopping, then hitting an open-handed slap to the sternum on the backswing. He backed Jericho against the ropes, then grabbed his arm and whipped him across, going for a clothesline. Y2J, however, ducked under, then rebounded off the ropes with a flying forearm attack, knocking Skinner down.  
  
"Come on, you son of a bitch!" Jericho shouted, stomping him in the head, then picking him back up and chopping him across the chest. He chopped again, backing Skinner against the ropes, then went for the whip. The Storm reversed the momentum and twisted Jericho's arm behind him in a hammerlock. Before Y2J could react, The Storm slapped on a half-nelson as well, then launched Jericho backwards in that deadly half-nelson snap suplex, folding him in half. This elicited a groan from the audience, which started booing and chanting, _"Skinner Sucks!" _again.  
  
The Force of Nature stood up, stretching his neck back and forth, then cracked his knuckles. He beat on Jericho for a moment, then lifted him off the mat and dropped him with a hard right hand. With a smile, The Storm wetted his finger and raised it in the air, pointing to a corner, drawing more boos as he started to climb. He leaned back on the top turnbuckle, holding onto the ropes for balance, waiting for Jericho to stand back up. When he did so, The Storm leapt out in the Windfall--  
  
--and struck the bare mat as Jericho ducked out of the way. The Storm got back up, teeth bared in a grimace as he clutched his chest, then reeled as Jericho chopped him in the chest again. Jericho followed it up with a second, then a third, before he whipped him into the ropes, then hit a spinning wheel kick. The Storm got up, holding his face where he was kicked, but then Jericho came off the ropes, grabbing his head and smashing his face to the mat with a bulldog. He stood up and yelled, "I'm gonna be the champ!" before running to the ropes. He jumped, bounced off the second rope and sailed backwards in the Lionsault.  
  
Unfortuantely, The Storm had it scouted. He rolled out of range, then got up and snared Jericho in a full-nelson as he landed on his feet. With a snarl, he lifted him up, then dropped forward, dropping him on the back of his neck and shoulders in the Downdraft. He floated over into a cover, hooking a leg. 1... 2... 3. "The winner of the fall -- and _still _the WCW Champion -- THE STORM!"  
  
The Storm sneered, then turned Jericho onto his stomach and started to set him up for the Necksnapper. Y2J, however, had other plans. He flipped the Force of Nature off of him, then slid out of the ring to regroup. Naturally, The Storm did not let him off that easy, going off the ropes for a baseball slide. Jericho saw it coming and stepped out of the way, then bounced his opponent's head off the barricade once, twice, thrice, four times total before chopping him in the chest and whipping him into the ring steps.  
  
The Storm plowed into the steps legs-first, his momentum flipping him over with a loud clangor, getting up rather quickly, if dazed. Jericho pursued and rolled him back into the ring, then followed. Skinner got up as he rolled into the ring, then slid out the other side. Jericho sneered and slid right back out after him, but this bought The Storm the extra time he needed to recover a bit from his trip into (and over) the stairs. As Jericho landed next to him, The Storm thumbed him in the eye, then grabbed his opposite shoulder, hooked a leg and dropped Jericho in a side Russian legsweep.  
  
He wasn't done yet. He stood back up, grabbed Jericho's legs, then tilted backwards and catapulted him face-first into the ring post. The Storm faced the crowd after pulling off the move, tilting his head at the round of boos he was getting. He sneered and slapped one hand through the other in a rude European gesture, then spat. "Fuck you!" he snapped at one fan, who brandished a **The Storm Doesn't Suck - He Blows! **sign. He stomped over to Jericho, pulled him up, and rolled him into the ring.  
  
Inside, Skinner brought the pain again. He pulled Jericho up and gave him a swinging neckbreaker, then a stiff clothesline. He put him in the corner, chopped his chest a couple of times, then turned and roared, "I'm gonna bomb him through the fucking mat!" He chopped Jericho again, set him up on the top rope, then hooked Jericho's legs over his shoulders. Grabbing him by the middle, he pivoted around, preparing to deliver a vicious powerbomb into the mat. Jericho, however, reversed it into a hurricanrana, flipping The Storm across the ring.  
  
"Y2J's been taking a beating throughout this match," Cole commented. "He can't have much left, so how did he manage to reverse that?"  
  
"The Storm practically yelled it in his ears," Pickett replied. "How could he not have reversed it?"  
  
Jericho returned to the corner and hitched himself to the second rope, beckoning for The Storm to get up. He delivered his second missle dropkick of the match, then a pair of quick elbow drops before grabbing The Storm's legs and trying to turn him over into the Walls of Jericho. Skinner, of course, fought it, but was unable to get the leverage he needed to counter it or reverse it or to break it. Jericho heaved and twisted, and finally managed to turn him over, stretching his legs back and driving his knee into The Storm's back, a much more painful variation.  
  
"And Jericho's got The Storm locked in the Walls of Jericho!" Cole shouted.  
  
"Skinner's never tapped out before, Cole, and he's not about to tap out now, I can tell you that!" Tazz replied.  
  
"I'm gonna have to call you there, Cole," Pickett said suddenly. "That's not the Walls of Jericho. That, my friends, is the Liontamer, a more excruciating version of the Walls. But our orange-clad thug here, though I hate to admit it, is right. Matthew Skinner has never tapped out to a submission in his career, and I highly doubt it's going to start now."  
  
Sure enough, as Jericho leaned back, stretching The Storm futher, screaming, "_Ask him! Ask him!_", the Force of Nature suddenly started laughing in between the snarls of pain that came out of his bared teeth. "_Ahhahahahahahaha, oh yeah, that's it! Come on, Jerky-ho, lemme feel it! Hurt me, baby, come on!!_"  
  
Jericho responded to this by simply arching back further, stretching him even more, yelling his fury to the rafters. _"Ask him!_" "_I ain't done yet, Jerky-ho! Ahahahaha! Give it to me some more!_" "_ASK HIM!_" _"COME ON, BABY, AHHAHAHAHA! HURT ME, I FUCKIN' DARE YA!_"  
  
Yelling with rage, Jericho arched back still further, and lost his balance, having to break the hold. The Storm flopped face-down on the mat upon release, then suddenly did a push-up, body quivering as he flashed an insane smile at Jericho. Y2J stared at him as The Storm laughed again, standing up and tilting his neck from side to side, then arching his back, clutching it. "Man, that hurt like hell, junior!" Skinner cackled. "I'll be feelin' that tomorrow! Ahahahahaha!"  
  
"Come on, you son-of-a-bitch, stay down!" Jericho lunged, locking up immediately, but The Storm seemed to have gotten some sort of bizarre second wind, hurling Jericho into the corner. He charged in, but got an elbow to the face for his trouble. He turned around, holding his jaw, and Jericho rushed in and clipped him in the back with a forearm. The Storm gave a shout and crumpled to the mat. That extended stretch in the Liontamer had indeed taken its toll.  
  
Jericho grabbed his legs and started to turn him over again, obviously intending to do it again, but now The Storm was ready. He grabbed and held onto Jericho's leg, cackling insanely under his breath, preventing the challenger from turning him over. After a moment, Skinner grabbed both legs and kicked his own free, dropping them to the mat and turning Jericho over, slapping him in a Boston Crab. Jericho screamed in this for a few moments, but he was close to the ropes, so he was able to grab the bottom rope to break the hold.  
  
The Storm didn't let up as he released Jericho, however. He dropped an elbow square on his back, then dragged him out into the center of the ring, preparing to put him in the Necksnapper. Y2J, however, turned himself over and kicked Skinner straight in the jaw. The Storm staggered back, then took an enzuigiri dropkick to the head, knocking him over. Jericho got back to his feet. "Come on, you son of a bitch!" he yelled, stalking him, waiting for him to turn around. The Storm had rolled onto the apron and was in the process of getting back up.  
  
Jericho ran to the corner, springing off the second rope and intending to do his springboard dropkick, but The Storm was ready for him again. He grabbed Jericho's head and dropped clean off the apron, hotshotting him off the top rope. Jericho snapped backwards, clobbering Hebner in the process. The Storm laughed evilly as he slid back into the ring, pulling Jericho up and scooping him onto his shoulder. Holding him there, The Storm grinned and pointed up. "Lightning!" he screamed. The fans booed as he dropped Jericho down in the Southern Lightning Driver. Rather than cover, however, he went to the corner and climbed to the top. He stood and, without apparent time to target, leapt out in a Savage Elbow, driving it deep into Jericho's chest.  
  
The Storm now made a cover, but Hebner was still down. Swearing under his breath, Skinner got up and not-so-gently kicked him in the kidneys. As he was busy doing so, however, he noticed a rising cheer from the crowd, and -- more importantly -- the chant that had suddenly sprung up: _"AUSTIN! AUSTIN!"  
  
_The Storm whirled around just in time to see Stone Cold Steve Austin get to his feet after sliding under the bottom rope. Before he had time to react, Skinner got a swift kick to the stomach. Austin spun around, grabbed The Storm's head, then dropped him in the Stone Cold Stunner. The Storm shot back to his feet and actually left his feet after the move, falling backwards onto the mat. Austin then dropped onto his stomach and thrust his face right into Skinner's. "You wanna mess with Stone Cold? What? You wanna cost Stone Cold the WWF title? What? What? You wanna be Unified Champion? What? What? What? _Enh-ehh! _No way! What? _What? WHAT?!_" Austin sneered and left the ring, stomping back up the ramp and watching with his arms folded.  
  
Jericho had recovered by this time. He saw The Storm on his back on the mat, then ran to the ropes, sprang off the second, and flipped back in a perfect Lionsault. He dropped into the cover just as Hebner came around. The referee slapped the mat 1... 2... 3! The crowd cheered as Jericho stood, Hebner raising his arm in the air. "The winner of the fall, and therefore the #1 Contender is CHRIS JERICHO!"  
  
Jericho turned and saw Austin, then looked at The Storm. Jericho nodded to Austin, then returned the "Stone Cold salute" that the Rattlesnake gave him. Both men understood perfectly that this wasn't about helping each other, it was strictly business -- Jericho wanted to go on to face Triple H, so he didn't care how he did it, and Austin just wanted to screw The Storm out of the chance to face Triple H.  
  
Jericho left the ring and walked past Austin on the ramp. Austin eyeballed him as he walked by, then turned back to the ring and smirked as The Storm came to, realizing what just happened. He surged to his feet and started cursing a blue streak. He spun to face Austin, eyes bulging. Austin laughed and gave him the "Stone Cold salute" as well, then pointed The Storm, at himself, then gestured around his waist. _I want your belt._  
  
The Storm grabbed his belt from Hebner, then raised it up as he glared at Austin. He pointed at the belt, then tapped his chest. _This belt belongs to me!_  
  
**-more to come-**  
  
Next: Another shot has been fired in the brewing war between The Storm and Stone Cold. Other problems are fast coming to a head as well. Will cooler heads prevail, or will this powder keg even make it to _WrestleMania_?  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
December 21, 2002


	25. Escalating Conflicts

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Monday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: Another shot has been fired in the brewing war between The Storm and Stone Cold. Other problems are fast coming to a head as well. Will cooler heads prevail, or will this powder keg even make it to _WrestleMania_?  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: The show kicked off with The Storm coming out to declare he simply attacked Austin because he could, and because he wants to beat Triple H himself at _WrestleMania_. Jericho, of course, came out for the rebuttal, pointing out he was #1 contender, prompting The Storm to point out that Jericho's never beaten him. Close to blows, the two are finally separated by Mr. McMahon, who then booked a two-falls match, the first being for the WCW Title, the second for #1 contendership. Scion offered words of warning about The Storm's succumbing to the Darkside. **Scion def. Test** with the Fall from Grace. Backstage, The Hurricane and Mighty Molly attempted -- in their own unique way -- to cheer up Lance Storm (who still had a green stain on his face from Tajiri's mist attack on Monday) by declaring they would defeat him in a match. The Gemini gloated and boasted to themselves about how great they were, only to get jumped in their own locker room by Undertaker & Kane, who left them lying. **Tajiri**** def.**** The Hurricane **despite interference from Lance Storm. Both Alliance members got a faceful of mist -- Helms the green mist, and Lance the red mist. In the main event, **The Storm def. Chris Jericho in the first fall **to retain his WCW Championship, evading the Lionsault and landing a Downdraft to score the first fall. **Chris Jericho def. The Storm in the second fall to retain his #1 Contendership, with **Jericho locking him in the Liontamer (-NOT- the Walls of Jericho) for several minutes before he broke the hold. In the end, the referee took a bump, and The Storm hit Jericho with the Southern Lightning Driver, then a flying elbow drop, but then Stone Cold ran out, gave The Storm a Stunner, trash-talked him, and left Jericho to hit the Lionsault to retain his #1 contendership. Jericho and Austin exchanged "Stone Cold salutes," before Austin and The Storm ended the show with a tense staredown.  
  
FYI: List of Champions: **WWF **- Triple H (Alliance); **Intercontinental **- Christian (WWF); **European **- vacant; **Hardcore **- Rob Van Dam (Alliance); **Light-Heavyweight** - X-Pac (WWF); **WWF Tag Team** - Dudley Boyz (Alliance); **Women's** - vacant; **WCW **- The Storm (WWF); **U.S.** - Victor E (CIW); **Cruiserweight **- Billy Kidman (Alliance); **WCW Tag Team** - The Gemini (CIW)  
  
**Chapter 25: Escalating Conflicts  
  
Monday: _Raw_, March 3 - 8 days after _No Way Out_**  
  
The mood in the Alliance leadership's limo was quite tense. Shane's injuries that he'd suffered at the hands of The Storm had all but healed, as had Paul Heyman's throat. Stephanie was staying as close as possible to her husband, more frightened for her safety than ever after recent events. Triple H himself was staring down at the WWF Championship belt in his hands. He rubbed at a small smudge on the gold with his thumb, then glared up at Shane and Paul. "Why can't you get the damn belt off The Storm?" the Game asked with quiet threat.  
  
"The guy's a psychopath!" Heyman whined. "Did that belt-shot he gave you last week scramble your brains, or have you just forgotten what he's done to everyone we've sent after him?"  
  
Triple H scowled. "No, I haven't forgotten, Paul. I'm asking why we don't just take the damn belt off of him!"  
  
Shane shook his head. "We can't do that. The Storm's out of control as it is, and if we take the belt away from him, he's going to snap completely. I dunno about you, but I'd rather avoid getting him any angrier than he already is." He seemed remarkably calm, unlike Heyman and Stephanie.  
  
"Why are you so calm?!" Heyman yelled. "This maniac's out for blood -- _our _blood -- and-and you're just sitting there talking about it like it's no concern!"  
  
Shane smiled now. "That's because, Paul, I have a plan. It might not get the belt back in our hands--" He silenced squawks of protest from his comrades with a hand, then continued, "--but what it _will _do is tear the WWF apart."  
  
Triple H arched an eyebrow, sitting back in his seat. "I'm listening."  
  
* * *  
  
Not much later, a similar meeting took place in Vince McMahon's office at the arena. Mr. McMahon was there, along with Commissioner Regal, Billy Rose, and Jenny Black. The Chairman was massaging his scalp with both hands, elbows on his desk. "This is turning into a nightmare," the certified billionaire moaned. "Shane and Stephanie are going to put me out of business!"  
  
"Mr. McMahon," Regal said placatingly, "you need to calm down. You've faced threats like this before. I mean, come on, you managed to weather the assault by the old WCW, didn't you?"  
  
Rose glanced up from his couch. "Yes, Willie, but at the time, he was competing with a billionaire in Ted Turner -- someone who could afford to spend millions of dollars to try and put the WWF out of business -- and he was competing against guys like Eric Bischoff, who didn't know the inner workings of the WWF the way the McMahons do.  
  
"This time around, however, things are a lot different." Rose sat up to look at Regal as he enumerated them. "This time he's going up against his children, who sold their stock in the WWF so they could purchase WCW and ECW. They don't have millions of dollars to spend. They've got nothing left to lose. And furthermore, since they helped Vince run the company, they're intimately familiar with how Vince does things. Combine those, and the Alliance is far more dangerous than the old WCW, moreso when you consider they've actually invaded the WWF, instead of waging war via the ratings."  
  
Vince looked up miserably. "It doesn't help that we've got all this internal friction going on between our superstars! Stone Cold and Matthew Skinner fighting each other, Skinner and Jericho fighting, Taker and Kane fighting these Gemini of yours, Billy." Then he glared over at Regal. "And now you go and make this damn Women's Title tournament! You're giving the Alliance a fair chance at one of _our_ belts!"  
  
Regal spread his hands, looking perhaps a bit nervous. "Well, what was I supposed to do, Mr. McMahon?"  
  
"_Not _book a damn tournament!" Vince banged a fist into his desk. "Dammit, now they could get _another _one of our belts! It's bad enough they've got our Tag Titles and Hardcore Title -- _not to mention _the WWF Title! -- now you wanna give them a shot at the Women's Title?!"  
  
Jenny Black spoke up. "To be fair, Vince, we've gotten them back for it. We still hold the Intercontinental and Light-Heavyweight Titles, and the European Title, as it's vacant. Also, CIW has helped bring the U.S. and WCW Tag Titles over to our camp, and Matthew Skinner's got the WCW Title, of course. It balances out."  
  
"Dammit, I don't _want _'balanced out!'" Vince roared. "I want to get rid of the Alliance! They're trying to destroy _my _company!"  
  
Rose stood up. "Relax, Vince. That's the way things are right now. Shane and Stephanie have to realize that while they are young, they do know how you run your company, and they have gotten some key victories, you've dealt with this sort of thing before, and you beat it then. And then you didn't have me or CIW to back you up."  
  
"Mr. McMahon," Regal pleaded, "Mr. Rose is correct. You've handled much more strenuous situations and always come out on top."  
  
Rose and Jenny both managed to stifle a bit of a snicker, which went unnoticed. The CIW ringleader spoke up again, "Relax, Vince, even if Shane and Stephanie do come up with some scheme, you've got the Mental Elite working for you. Trust me, I can outthink them."  
  
* * *  
  
As the show officially got underway, the fans were treated to the arrival of The Storm, who came out without the usual roll of thunder, just straight from the pyros into the music. He wore a plain black T-Shirt again and no sunglasses, carrying his WCW Title in one hand as he marched into the ring, grabbing a microphone to start talking. The fans were booing him on sight now, chanting _"Skinner Sucks!" _as he glared up at them. He paced a bit, swinging his belt up onto his shoulder before speaking. "Last Thursday night," the Force of Nature started, "I was _this close _to getting a shot at Triple H so I could become the Unified Champion." More boos and jeers followed this remark. "I beat that little Canuck bastard Jericho once to keep my title, and then, just as I was about to beat him again to take his number-one contendership, what happens?" (_"What?" _chanted some smart-alleck fans.) "That no-good redneck hyena goes and gets himself involved in my business!"  
  
Now the rest of the crowd was getting into the act as they chanted, _"What?" _The Storm ignored them and snapped, "You all know the guy I'm talking about." _"What?" _"He's the Texas Rattlesnake." _"What?" _"The Bionic Redneck." _"What?" _"The second most toughest S.O.B. in the World Wrestling Federation!" Skinner chuckled at the _"What?" _from the last one. "Oh, hadn't you heard? Stone Cold Steve Austin ain't the toughest son of a bitch anymore. _Enh-enh__!_" He snarled, imitating Austin. "The toughest son of a bitch is none other than the Texan Tornado." _"What?" _"The Force of Nature." _"What?" _He raised his belt in the air. "The WCW World Heavyweight Champion." _"What?" _"The man I'm talking about is myself, The Storm, Matthew Skinner!"  
  
He sneered at the fresh round of boos he received. "Austin, I don't care if you're pissed off at me. I've never backed down from a challenge in my life. If you've got a problem with me, Austin, don't be a gutless coward and attack me when I ain't looking. Be a man and look me straight in the eyes, meet me face-to-face so I can punch your teeth down your throat."  
  
The fans started cheering as they anticipated the confrontation between The Storm and Stone Cold, but instead of hearing the telltale sound of breaking glass, they heard: _"Here comes the Money! (Here we go - Money talks) Here comes the Money! Money money money..." _The Storm's sneer turned into an outright scowl as Shane McMahon came bounding out onto the stage. The fans were likewise displeased at this turn of events as the WCW Owner walked down to the ring, taking a microphone as he faced Skinner, who was popping his knuckles irritably.  
  
"What the hell are you doing out here?" The Storm demanded. "Last time you were this close to me, I put you in the hospital. What, you didn't get the message last time?"  
  
Shane just smiled. "Storm, I didn't come out here to get another beating from you. I will, however, warn you, that -- regardless of any repercussions from you -- should you lay your hands on me again, I will strip you of the WCW Title." The Storm plainly thought this idea sucked, as did the fans, who booed again. Shane continued. "What I came out here to say is to announce two things. First off, however, let me call out the WCW Tag Team Champions... CIW's Gemini Twins."  
  
The Storm and the fans weren't quite sure what to make of this, however, as Castor and Pollux made their way to the ring, the crowd did give them a decent chorus of boos, recalling their defeat of Undertaker & Kane. The Gemini stood in the ring, forming a triangle with The Storm at one corner, Shane at another, and themselves at the third. Shane smiled. "Now, first off, since we now know for certain that it _will _be Chris Jericho facing Triple H at _Wrestlemania_and not you, Storm, we have to figure out just who _you _will face at _Wrestlemania_-- provided, of course, you're still WCW Champion by then."  
  
"Trust me, Shane-O, I will be."  
  
Shane smiled. "I'm sure, Storm. Tonight, in this very ring, we will have ourselves a number-one contendership match for the WCW Title at _Wrestlemania_, between the Alliance's Rhyno and..." He paused, then grinned: "Stone Cold Steve Austin." The crowd actually perked up and cheered at the mention of the Rattlesnake's name. The Storm, however, was scolwing.  
  
Shane grinned at him. "Now, as for you, Storm, you will, of course, be defending your WCW Title tonight. But -- and here's the thing I'm sure you'll like -- if you successfully retain your title tonight, then out of sheer generosity, I will nullify the stipulation on your matches, and you will not have to defend them in every match."  
  
The Storm looked intrigued. "You may have something there, Shane. But what's the catch?"  
  
The WCW Owner smirked. "It will be a Handicap Match -- against the Gemini!"  
  
The fans -- not to mention Skinner and the Twins -- were surprised. The brothers exchanged a few words together, then Pollux grabbed a microphone. "Whoa, wait a sec, here, Shane-O. You want us--" he gestured at himself and Castor, "--to fight him?" He pointed at The Storm. When Shane nodded, Pol shook his head. "No dice, man. He's WWF, and we're CIW. We're on the same team. We don't wanna fight him."  
  
Shane smiled again. "I had a feeling you might say that, but if you don't want to fight The Storm, then you will have to defend the WCW Tag Titles against the Dudley Boyz here tonight!" The fans cheered for that, but the Gemini immediately started looking upset, clutching their title belts a little closer to themselves. "So it's either face one guy and win some double gold for yourselves, or face one of the best tag teams in the business today and lose your coveted titles."  
  
The Twins shared a look, then looked over at The Storm. Slowly, they began to smile identically. Finally, they nodded, leering at the WCW Champion. Shane smiled. "Excellent! It's done, then!"  
  
Before Shane could go on, the TitanTron lit up again. _"We... are... ALIVE!" _The CIW entrance music played as Billy Rose made his way out, wearing his red over-shirt over a CIW T-Shirt and a pair of khakis. He was frowning a bit, carrying a microphone. He stopped at the base of the ramp, looking up into the ring. Both Skinner and Shane gave him a look of loathing, while the Gemini just stared at him. Rose raised his mic, then gestured for the producers to 'cut the music.' "Shane-O, I see what you're trying to do here. You're trying to make the WWF and CIW tear themselves apart! Well, if you can dictate the matches for WCW titles, then you should know that Vince McMahon and Commissioner Regal have empowered me to book some matches of my own tonight -- and they're for WWF titles!  
  
"First off, the Dudleys will have to defend their WWF Tag Titles tonight, and just to be sure the team you call one of the best in the business today have some suitable competition, it will be a Table Match against..." Rose stopped, looking thoughtful, then grinned. "The Undertaker and Kane!" The fans popped loudly, and then Rose raised a finger. "Oh, but let's not forget a few other titles that the Alliance happens to hold! Tonight, just so you don't get any funny ideas, Shane, and try to make my man Victor E. defend his U.S. Title tonight, he's going to get a shot at the WWF Hardcore Championship against Mr. Monday Night himself -- Rob - Van - Dam." The CIW ringleader even remembered to do the "thumbs" gimmick.  
  
Shane was now looking quite upset, but Rose wasn't done yet. "Oh, but it gets better! Triple H has to defend his WWF Championship tonight against your Olympic Hero -- Kurt Angle!" The fans cheered again, though slightly less so, as Shane shouted from inside the ring. Rose just waved at him, grinning. "That's all I have to say, Shane-O. If you have any problems with it, feel free to take it up with me in the back -- I'll be in the CIW locker room."  
  
Rose left up the ramp, with the Gemini following him. The Twins were still looking at The Storm in the ring. Shane quickly realized he was in the ring with someone who currently wanted to tear his head off and rapidly left the ring before said event could take place. Skinner, however, was busy glaring at his hated rival, too preoccupied to care about the would-be heir.  
  
* * *  
  
Not too long after the opening interview, two matches passed. The first was part of the Women's Title tournament, pitting the Alliance's delusional superhero's sidekick, Mighty Molly, against CIW's brunette bombshell, Dee Meaner. In the early going, Dee had the definite advantage, being not impressed in the least by Molly's posturing and meant-to-be-intimidating posing. Soon, however, Molly started a rally and had Dee almost beat for a moment before the CIW diva hit her savate kick to the head, stunning Molly, and softening her up for the double-underhook suplex (which she called the Felonyplex). Molly was able to get a foot on the rope, however, and just before Dee could strike again, The Hurricane emerged from the ramp and tripped her up from ringside, allowing Molly to hit a fierce legdrop, then the Molly-Go-Round for the pin. Superhero and sidekick retreated up the ramp quickly as Dee got back up, quite peeved at the cheating tactics.  
  
The second match stemmed from the Tajiri/Hurricane match the previous show, in which Lance Storm had gotten a faceful of the Japanese Buzzsaw's red mist. William Regal had denied Lance's demand to face Tajiri, booking the Canadian against himself instead. Lance came out the early aggressor, but then his superkick went high and struck the Commissioner in the nose instead of the jaw. Regal's nose was bloodied, but he was able to kick out of the pin attempt. Furious now, Regal started pounding away on Lance, finally hitting him with the Regal Cutter before locking on the Regal Stretch, getting the submission victory.  
  
The ring was cleared, but the next segment turned out to be another interview. The TitanTron lit up. _"Christian! Chris-TIAAN! At last you are on your OOOOOOWN!" _Rock music erupted as golden pyros rained from the light structure, more golden sparks fountaining under the screen. The fans booed as the fountaining sparks cut off, revealing Christian himself standing there, pointing at his Intercontinental Title around his waist before strutting out onto the ramp, gesturing dramatically like a maestro. The fans booed him greatly as he reached the ring, giving him chants of _"Christian Sucks!"  
  
_Christian took a microphone, looking around at the jeering crowd. "You know something, I just don't get it. I thought after I won the Intercontinental Title, I'd start to get a little respect around here. I mean, last week, a group of people like you, only with teeth -- oh, wait, I forgot, this is Baton Rouge -- I mean, people like you, only _avec l'teeth _--" He shook his head, then pointed eastward. "C'mon people, Paris is thataway, I mean I can understand you trying to be French, but you don't have to try and copy their hygiene - try _l'deodorant_once in awhile." The fans jeered and booed, chanting _"Asshole!" _at him.  
  
"Anyway, these people in the airport had the audacity to start shouting at me 'Christian sucks!'" The fans popped and laughed at him. "I mean, I can't believe it! What does everybody have against me, why does everybody hate me? Do you have any idea what it's like to have everybody hate you? Huh?"  
  
Christian glared at the crowd, then turned to the TitanTron as the lights turned purple. _"Hey, yo, you're dealin' with th' X-Factor!" _Rock music started up as X-Pac marched out, wearing his Light-Heavyweight Title on his waist as well. He came down to the ramp as the fans immediately started chanting _"X-Pac Sucks!" _on sight.  
  
The former 1-2-3 Kid ignored them as he hit the ring with a microphone of his own. The chants died down for a moment as X-Pac put a hand on Christian's shoulder. "Hey man, Christian, bro, I feel your pain, man. I know what it's like. I know what it's like, man." He paused as the fans started the familiar chant again. "Hey, in case you hadn't remembered, I was on top of the world around here. You know? I was part of the most popular group in World Wrestling Federation history!" X-Pac stopped to raise his hands in the air in the DX handsign. "You know what I mean? And you know what happened? I went out on my own -- you know people love me," he commented to Christian, who nodded, "I went out on my own, became a successful singles competitor, you know what they did?"  
  
Christian shook his head, and X-Pac pointed accusingly out at the crowd. "They turned on me, man, just like you, they turned on me. You know what? They chewed me up and they spit me out."  
  
Christian, horrified, turned and shouted at the audience. "Shame on you people! Shame on you all!"  
  
X-Pac calmed him down. "Hey, hey, hey, that's all right, bro. Let 'em have their fun. Let these nimrods have their fun, because you know what? The fact of the matter is," he turned and pointed out at the fans, sneering, "all you people are _losers_! And you and I, you know," he grinned, pointing at their respective titles. "We're winners." The two shared a grin.  
  
_"You think you know me..." _The fun stopped and the two men in the ring looked to the TitanTron. _"You will never know me... Yeeeeah, my __durango__..." _The fans started cheering as Edge walked out of the large cloud of dry ice fog that spewed from the stage. He carried a mic and grinned at the two in the ring. He held up a finger. "X-Pac, my good man, a few corrections if I may. These people didn't chew you up and spit you out, you simply make them wanna puke!" X-Pac looked displeased. "And as far as being part of the most popular group in WWF history, well... hanging out with cool people does not make you a really cool person." Christian held X-Pac back as the former DXer seethed beside him. Edge continued, "Oh, and by the way, 1998 called and they're sick and tired of you, so feel free to join us in the year 2003 any time!"  
  
Christian and X-Pac stared at him somewhat, so Edge grinned and continued, "Now you look confused, so let me explain. You see, at one point I was into this whole goth thing, but then I developed my very own persona - it's called 'character development,'" he said, making the quote motions with his fingers. "You should look into it sometime."  
  
Now Christian sneered and spoke. "You know something, Edge? You're pretty cocky for a guy that just had his ass handed to him less than a week ago."  
  
Then X-Pac got brave and chimed in, "Yeah! Pretty _cocky_!"  
  
Edge just smirked and waited out a brief _"Edge!" _chat. "Ah, Christian. My dear, sweet little brother Christian. You wonder why all these people hate you? Well...why don't we just ask them." Christian looked wary. "Now....don't be shy, people! Do you hate Christian because he's extremely annoying?" _"YEAH!"_"Do you hate him becuase he totally sucks?" _"YEAH!"_"Or do you hate him because simply, he's a jealous, bitter, paranoid coward--" The fans started laughing as Christian seethed, now being held back by X-Pac, but then Edge added, "--who after years of therapy STILL wets his bed?"  
  
X-Pac quickly let go of Christian, drawing back. Edge just chuckled, started to go on, but then X-Pac's running buddy, Albert, showed up, yelling and driving his foot straight into the back of Edge's neck with a bicycle kick. Edge was rolled down the ramp, where the two men in the ring dragged him inside, pummeling him and putting him in the corner. Albert reached the ring, stood in the opposite corner, then charged forward, shouting ("Yaaaaaaaaah!"), and crashing into Edge with an avalanche. Albert grabbed him by the back of the head, then hurled him forward into a spinning heel kick by X-Pac.  
  
Christian left the ring, bringing in a pair of chairs, handing one to X-Pac. But before they could swing, Zed and Zeta came running out, chasing X-Factor and Christian off. Zeta shouted various profane remarks after them as Zed helped Edge to his feet, the Z-Men's music playing.  
  
* * *  
  
"The following contest, scheduled for one fall, is a Handicap Tag-Team Match, and it is for the WCW Championship!"  
  
The CIW bumper played prior to the ominous rock music signalling the arrival of the Gemini. The fans booed as the two came down to the ring, dressed virtually identically, only Pollux's tattoos giving him away. They carried their WCW Tag Title belts on their shoulders and both men stepped over the top rope at the same time, tossing their belts to stagehands before facing the ramp. "Introducing first, representing CIW, from Seattle, Washington, weighing in at 270 pounds each... they are the WCW Tag Team Champions, Castor & Pollux, the GEMINI!"  
  
Castor started stretching his legs, standing on one foot as he held the knee of the other leg against his body for a moment before switching. Pollux swung out his arms, then cracked his knuckles. Their music faded, replaced by the crash of thunder. _"This is your Storm Warning!" _The fans cheered only slightly, since it was clear to them that The Storm was the de facto face against these two heels. "And their opponent, representing the WWF, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 240 pounds... he is the WCW Champion, Matthew Skinner, THE STORM!"  
  
The Storm came down the ramp, slid into the ring and was immediately attacked by the Twins. They stomped him down, then yanked him to his feet, throwing him into the corner, where they began to whale on him with right hands and kicks. The Storm hadn't even taken his title belt off yet. Pollux grabbed him by the head and threw him face-first to the mat, then ripped the belt off his waist and held it in the air. The fans booed. Castor yanked the belt away and raised it in the air himself, only to get into a tug-of-war with his brother.  
  
This allowed The Storm the time he needed to recover. He got to his feet, came off the ropes and took them both down with a double clothesline. He tore his belt from their grip, holding it in the air as he stood over them. "It's my fucking belt! Keep your fucking hands off it!" He threw it to the timekeeper, then started to turn Pollux over, setting him up for the Necksnapper. Castor saw him, however, and kicked him in the head, following it up with a legdrop across the throat, going for the cover.  
  
At two, The Storm kicked out just moments before Polllux pulled his twin off the cover. The two shared a few heated words again, arguing over who was going to make the pin before The Storm tripped Castor up and slapped on the Twister Anklelock. Pollux quickly broke it up with a clothesline, then an elbow drop to the chest, followed by a second. Cas got up, limping a bit, and added a few stomps.  
  
The Gemini pulled Skinner to his feet and put him in the corner for a few tandem chops to the chest before they both whipped him across the ring. Cas put himself in the corner, and did a "do-si-do" whip, resulting in Pollux barrelling across the ring, intending to clothesline their victim in the corner. The Force of Nature, however, slipped aside, leaving Pol to crash hard into the turnbuckle. Skinner launched at Cas, taking him down with a forearm smash, then got up and clipped the other twin with a drop toe-hold, sending Pollux's face square into Castor's groin.  
  
The fans cheered a bit as Cas doubled over, groaning. Pol got up, looking surprised at what he just inadvertantly did. The Storm stepped up behind him and grabbed him in a full nelson, preparing to deliver the Downdraft. The tattoo-sporting Twin slipped his leg back, hooking Skinner's to block the move, then swung his arm free, whirling around and clobbering him with a short-arm clothesline. He covered, but he was way too close to the ropes, so the champion got his foot up on the bottom rope to break the pin.  
  
Getting frustrated, Pollux pulled him up and gave him a hard scoop slam, then went for an elbow drop, but The Storm rolled away, leaving Pollux to land hard on the mat. The Storm slipped to his feet and snapped back down with an elbow drop of his own square to the back of Pol's head. He started to go for the Necksnapper again, but Castor had recovered and hit a low dropkick to Skinner's face, knocking him off and sending him rolling out of the ring. The Storm leaned against the barricade to catch his breath, then lunged out of the way as Castor rolled out and tried to deliver an axe-kick to him while he was on the barrier. Skinner, however, slipped aside again, then quickly kicked upwards into the Twin's thigh after his foot came down on the padded steel. The Twin with the educated feet fell to the mat, clutching his leg and yelling.  
  
The Storm rolled back in the ring and grabbed Pollux's leg, locking on an anklelock and trying to hold down the other leg to make it the Twister Anklelock. The tattooed Twin, however, rolled through and twisted around Skinner's leg, dropping an elbow across the knee to wear him down. He sneered, pulling him up and sending him into the ropes, going off the opposite side to attempt the Apollo-Line. The WCW Champion, however, spoiled that by holding onto the ropes with both arms, so Pol's lunge landed far short, and ended up striking the referee, knocking him down. Pollux stared down at the ref in surprise.  
  
Quickly, The Storm kicked him in the stomach, then landed a swinging neckbreaker before starting to go for the Necksnapper again. Castor hit the ring out of nowhere, breaking the submission up before it could be locked in, then stood him up and kicked him in the stomach, going for a Scissors Kick. The Storm sidestepped it and kicked him in the leg again before setting up for the Necksnapper on Castor instead, but the other Twin broke it up.  
  
Pollux snarled and turned to Castor. "Fuck this! Let's just end this now, we'll be co-champs!" The Twins nodded as one, then picked The Storm up, sending him into the ropes and catching him on the rebound, swinging him around and into the Twin Terror Bomb. The fans were booing heavily as the Twins made a simultaneous cover, but the referee was still down. The Gemini stood up, looking angrily at the referee's motionless carcass.  
  
As they were so distracted, however, the fans started cheering, and the reason soon became clear as Kane and the Undertaker slid into the ring. The Gemini whipped around, gawking for mere moments before they were grabbed for stereo chokeslams. The Brothers of Destruction, their mission finished, left the ring, leaving The Storm to crawl over and drape an arm over both men, just in time for the recovered referee to weakly count the three for the pin and the win.  
  
The Storm rolled out of the ring, stretching his neck in a circle as he reclaimed his title. He looked at the Gemini, then over at `Taker and Kane, who were backing up the ramp. Skinner glared at them, then left along the side of the ramp, rubbing the back of his neck. The Twins, for their part, sat up slowly, throwing furious looks at the Brothers of Destruction for costing them their coveted "double gold."  
  
* * *  
  
The next match-up was the Hardcore Championship Match between Victor E. and Rob Van Dam. Shane had sent Palumbo & O'Haire to try and "convince" Rose to put Victor's U.S. Title on the line, but the two Alliance members met up with Brick, who "convinced" them to keep their noses out of it.  
  
In the early going, the two exchanged a series of quick mat-wrestling moves -- armdrags, hiptosses, armbars and the like -- with neither man gaining the upper hand. Finally, after Van Dam hit an armdrag and Victor rolled out of, the two stood up and faced each other, pausing. The fans applauded the skill of the two men as they circled each other again.  
  
RVD built some momentum following this, working the arm of the CIWer with his educated feet and martial arts skills, finally scoop-slamming him near the corner and setting up for a split-legged moonsault. As the Whole F'n Show swung down, however, Victor got his knees up, causing Van Dam to bounce off and roll away, clutching his ribs and groaning.  
  
Now Victor got the upper hand, working over RVD's legs and knees, trying to weaken his kick-oriented offense. He slapped on a single-leg crab to further wear out the high-flier, then left the ring to grab a chair and a trashcan from under the ring. The fans popped, sensing things about to get extreme as Victor spiked the chair into Van Dam's ribs, then stood him up in the corner before going to get the trashcan.  
  
As the last CIW Champion approached, however, RVD lunged out of the corner with a leg lariat, his foot sending the can back into Victor's face. He fell close to the ropes, the can falling outside the ring. Van Dam got up, wobbling, spotted Victor lying on the mat, then ran to the ropes, sprang off and somersalted toward him, jumping up and flipping over to hit the Rolling Thunder. He went for the cover, but the Californian kicked out rather easily.  
  
RVD did a few more stomps, then tried to go upstairs for the Five-Star Frog Splash. As he looked left and right, however, Van Dam left himself open for attack, which is just what Victor did. He bealed the Alliance member out of the corner and to the mat, then slid out of the ring to grab the trashcan again. He rolled back in, then slipped the can over Van Dam's head, then went for the chair, intending to give him a major headache.  
  
The ECWer, however, managed to lash out with a foot and double Victor over, buying him enough time to worm the can off his head. He hit the CIWer in the back with it, then took the chair away from him. He waited for Victor to stand back up and tossed him the chair, then spun his foot around for the Van Daminator. The "always triumphant" superstar, however, ducked it, then swung for the bleachers. RVD, however, ducked under this, then promptly launched another kick as Victor turned back around, this time landing the Van Daminator.  
  
The fans cheered as Van Dam went to the corner, swinging himself up to the top rope, where he perched himself, looked left, looked right, gauged the distance, then launched himself into the air. In midair, RVD swung his arms down, then back up, stretching himself out as he came down onto Victor in the Five-Star Frog Splash. Mr. Monday Night bounced up, clutching his ribs, then turned back into a cover. 1... 2.... 3!  
  
"Here is your winner, and still the World Wrestling Federation Hardcore Champion... ROB VAN DAM!"  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, everyone -- from wrestlers to officials to stagehands -- gave Matthew Skinner a wide berth as he made his way back to his private dressing room. As he reached the door, however, he was stopped by Jonathon Coachman. "Mr. Skinner! Mr. Skinner, now that you've successfully defended your WCW Championship for the last time until _Wrestlemania_, do you have any thoughts on who you'd like to face at _Wrestlemania_ for your title? Do you want to face Stone Cold or do you want to face Rhyno again?"  
  
The Storm stopped in the doorway, then turned his head to look back over his shoulder at Coach. The interviewer, for his part, quickly backed away until Skinner shut the door in his face.  
  
* * *  
  
The final match before the two main events was the Dudleys WWF Tag Title defense against Undertaker & Kane. In spite of the Dudley Boyz' major experience, and their being lauded as "the best tag team in the business today," the champions were hard-pressed to get any sort of advantage over the larger Brothers of Destruction. The ECWers tried to wear down Kane, but the Big Red Machine just shrugged off everything they threw at him, though they were able to keep him from making the tag to `Taker.  
  
Finally, Bubba Ray was able to get Kane down on the mat, allowing him to rush over and slug Taker once, distracting him and the referee as he spread Kane's legs for the Wassap Drop (sans Wassap). After delivering the headbutt, D-Von got up and did his war dance, crossing Kane's carcass before Bubba shoved him. "D-Von!" "_What?!_" Bubba pointed. "Get the tables!"  
  
Both Dudleys left the ring to get the wood out, with Bubba setting one table up at ringside, and D-Von bringing another out by the announce table. Then Undertaker came back with a vengeance. He blindsided Bubba and hurled him back in to Kane, who started taking him apart. Taker then sent D-Von hard into the steel steps before going to his corner to recieve the "hot tag" from his brother. The Dead Man began to beat the living hell out of Bubba, then D-Von, before sending Kane outside to collect the table.  
  
There, however, Kane was double-teamed by the Gemini Twins, who turned up from alongside the ramp. The identical twins beat on Kane before dropping him through the table with a double flapjack. Taker was busy with D-Von, who had recovered, the referee trying to tell him to stop using closed fists. Bubba brought the extra table into the ring, setting it up, distracting the referee again as the Twins then jumped on the apron, attracting Taker's attention. When the American Badass got close enough, they both grabbed his head and hot-shotted him off the ropes, right into D-Von's waiting grip. He carried him up and into Bubba's waiting grasp, bringing him crashing down through the table in a 3-D for the win.  
  
The Dudley Boyz locked eyes with the Gemini, who were backing up the ramp. The two sets of champions stared each other down, then nodded to each other with sadistic grins. They might have been on different sides of the Invasion, but the Dudleys obviously saw kindred spirits in the Twins. The Brothers of Destruction were too dazed to get back up right away, but it was clear that the growing animosity between themselves and the Gemini was going to erupt soon.  
  
* * *  
  
Following the WWF Title Match between Triple H and Kurt Angle (which the Game won yet again through duplicitous means -- this time involving a sledgehammer shot and a Pedigree), the main event pitted Stone Cold Steve Austin against Rhyno to determine the #1 Contender for the WCW Championship at _Wrestlemania_.  
  
The Man-Beast withered under Austin's initial assault, but soon he turned the tide and started to wear down the Rattlesnake. He continued to work the back and ribs, also putting some focus on the the once-broken neck of Austin, but was unable to get the coveted pinfall. Finally, he set Austin up for the Gore, intending to put him down for good with the colossal spear.  
  
As Austin struggled to get up in the corner, the fans started jeering as The Storm appeared at the top of the ramp, carrying his title belt on his shoulder. He stood and watched as Rhyno charged, only to plow into the turnbuckle as Austin sidestepped. The Bionic Redneck flipped him the double bird as he turned back, kicked him in the gut, then dropped him in the Stunner, covering for the 1... 2... 3! Austin was going to _Wrestlemania_to face The Storm.  
  
The Force of Nature promptly hit the ring, sprinting over and tattooing Austin across his bald head with the title belt before the referee could even raise his hand in victory. The fans booed heavily as Austin's music cut out, replaced instead by Cold Steel's "Force of Nature" as The Storm stood over Austin, taunting him by holding the belt above him. "It don't matter if it's you or anyone else, Austin!" The Storm roared. "This is _MY _fucking title, and _NOBODY'S _taking it from me!"  
  
**more**** to come-**  
  
Next: Now it's clear that The Storm and Austin will collide at _Wrestlemania_, but will either of them make it there?  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
February 5, 2003


	26. Internal Friction

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Thursday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: Now it's clear that The Storm and Austin will collide at Wrestlemania, but will either of them make it there?  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: The Alliance leadership discussed strategy in their limo on the way to the arena, with Shane claiming to have an excellent idea to tear the WWF apart. Vince McMahon had a meeting with Commissioner Regal, Billy Rose, and Jenny Black, decrying Regal's decision to give the Alliance a fair shot at the Women's Title, as well as the breakdown of relations within the WWF and CIW. Rose assured him that he could outthink the Alliance. At the top of the show, The Storm called out Austin to answer for attacking him the previous Thursday. Instead, Shane came out, then called out the Gemini. He then booked a #1 contender's match for the WCW Title, between Austin and Rhyno, before booking The Storm in a WCW Title defense against the Gemini -- with the added stipulation that if he won, he wouldn't have to defend his title again until _Wrestlemania_. The Gemini initially refused the match, until Shane said they could face The Storm or put their titles on the line against the Dudleys. The Gemini then accepted. Rose came out next, saying he'd been empowered to book a few matches: the Dudleys in a WWF Tag Title Table Match against Undertaker & Kane, RVD in a Hardcore Title defense against Victor E, and Triple H in a WWF Title Match against Kurt Angle. **Mighty Molly def. Dee Meaner** with some help from The Hurricane to advance in the Women's Title Tournament. **Regal def. Lance Storm**. Christian came out to gripe about being booed and chanted at rudely, getting sympathy from X-Pac on the matter. Edge then came out to rag on them both before getting jumped by Albert. The Z-Men made the save from the three-way beating. **The Storm def. The Gemini** thanks to a double chokeslam from Undertaker & Kane to retain the WCW Championship. **Rob Van Dam def. Victor E** with the Five-Star Frog Splash to retain the Hardcore Championship. **The Dudleys def. Undertaker & Kane** thanks to an assist from the Gemini to retain the WWF Tag Titles. **Triple H def. Kurt Angle** through the use of his sledgehammer to retain the WWF Championship. **Stone Cold def. Rhyno** with a Stunner to become #1 Contender to the WCW Championship. The Storm promptly ran out and hit Austin with his belt, standing over him as the show went off the air.  
  
FYI: List of Champions:   
**WWF World **- Triple H (WECW) / **WCW World** - The Storm (WWF)  
**Intercontinental **- Christian (WWF) / **U.S.** - Victor E (CIW)  
**WWF** **Tag **- Dudley Boyz (WECW) / **WCW Tag** - The Gemini (CIW)**  
Light-Heavyweight** - X-Pac (WWF) / **Cruiserweight** - Billy Kidman (WECW)  
**European **- vacant / **Women's** - vacant / **Hardcore **- Rob Van Dam (WECW)  
  
**Chapter 26: Internal Friction  
  
Thursday: _Smackdown_, March 6 - 17 days to _Wrestlemania_**  
  
Things were fairly harmonious in the Alliance, with everyone mostly getting along and plotting the downfall of the WWF. The leadership of the Alliance -- Triple H, the McMahon Siblings, and Paul Heyman -- had done its job well in that regard.  
  
The WWF, on the other hand, was in dire straits. Even with Billy Rose and Commissioner Regal doing everything they could to try and maintain order, the fact remained that there were too many egos colliding and too many people angry at one another, leading to heinous attacks, such as The Storm attacking Stone Cold after his match on Monday. Edge and Christian, one of the longest-running tag teams in the company -- and brothers, even -- had split up and were at each other's throats. The Undertaker and Kane were at odds with the Gemini.  
  
Regal and Rose had called an emergency meeting of the WWF and CIW locker rooms. Regal had the Big Show backing him up, just as Rose had Brick do the same. In their respective organization's meeting, they both made the same statement: "We're in the middle of a war here, and the last thing we need is dissention in the ranks." Not everybody agreed to this -- notably Austin, The Storm, the Brothers of Destruction, and Edge. (Christian, for his part, looked decidedly smug about something.)  
  
Nonetheless, the show opened mostly without a hitch. Just to clear out some of the bad air between the WWFers and CIWers, the first match was a six-man tag between Edge & the Z-Men against Christian & X-Factor. X-Pac started in the ring with Zed. The former 1-2-3 Kid started off by demonstrating some of his martial arts skills -- and then Zed started off by demonstrating some of his boxing skills by flattening X-Pac with a single punch. He continued bringing the pain by walloping on X-Pac for a while, then delivered a pendulum backbreaker for a two-count. He sent the greasy-haired wrestler into the ropes, but missed a clothesline and got a spin kick to the jaw for his trouble. He delivered a few hard blows, which failed to faze Zed much, then his whip into the ropes was reversed, allowing the ex-boxer to hit a powerslam for another two-count.  
  
Zed went over and tagged in Zeta, who helped him whip X-Pac into the corner for a do-si-do corner clothesline by Zeta. The X-Factor member fell to the mat for an elbow drop by the Z-Man, who then covered for a near-fall. He delivered a forearm, then a neckbreaker for another two-count. Getting frustrated, Zeta went off the ropes, but Christian raised his knee up as the blue-streaked-haired Z-Man did so, distracting him into knocking Christian off the apron. X-Pac flew in with a forearm, then came off the ropes into a kick by Zeta. He then started to set him up for the Code Blue, but Albert came in with a bicycle kick to the back of the head to stop it. Referee Jimmy Korderas was busy trying to get Zed and Edge calmed down as Albert stomped away on Zeta in the corner. He delivered a big headbutt, then let X-Pac get a few shots in before going to distract Korderas some more, allowing Christian to choke Zeta and X-Pac to continue delivering sharp blows.  
  
Finally, Albert, who was now considered the legal man, pulled Zeta out of the corner and delivered a stalling butterfly suplex for -- surprisingly -- a two-count. Pissed off, the bald-headed muscleman sent him into the ropes, then roared as he delivered a blunt clothesline. Then, he ran over and gave a few quick shots to the face corner to distract them and the referee, only to get a nasty dropkick to the chin when he turned back to Zeta.  
  
Now both men were down, with Edge reaching for the tag. Zeta crawled to his feet and lunged to make the tag, smacking the Canadian's hand. Edge hit the ring, taking down a charging X-Pac with a clothesline, another, a pair of right hands for Albert. He turned around and ducked a spin kick from the other X-Factor member, then grabbed his jaw from behind and took him down with the Edge-o-Matic. He started pounding on X-Pac in the corner, then jumped out of the way as he heard Albert's telltale "Yaaaaaagh!" from behind, leaving X-Pac to take the brunt of the "Albertlanche," as Jim Pickett dubbed it. Edge gave a pair of elbow smashes, then stepped aside as Zed came in to deliver the Z-Slam to X-Pac.  
  
Christian snuck in the ring, but then Edge spun around to face him. Just as quickly, the "deranged maestro" froze in place. Albert grabbed Edge and pressed him up, but the Canadian squirmed free and landed on his feet. He came off the ropes, ducked under Albert's clothesline, then speared his brother to the mat. Albert grabbed him real quickly, but then Zeta ran in and bulldogged Albert's big head to the mat, then kicked Christian out of the ring. Zed took X-Pac outside as Zeta did the same with Christian. Back in the ring, Edge kicked Albert in the stomach, grabbed his head, hooked the tights, and delivered the Buzz Killer DDT for the three-count and the win.  
  
* * *  
  
Mr. McMahon, Commissioner Regal, and Billy Rose looked at the other two men in the room, both of whom were glaring at the other. Matthew Skinner wore his WCW Title on his shoulder over a plain black T-Shirt, and his glare was currently fixed on Stone Cold Steve Austin, who glared back. Austin wore an _Austin 3:16 _shirt. Vince paced back and forth as he looked at the two glaring men.  
  
"All right, look," Vince said finally, stopping so he could address both men. "Tonight you two are tag-team partners against Triple H and Rhyno. Now I know you two are scheduled to face each other at _Wrestlemania_, and try as I might, I can't get that match cancelled."  
  
"The important thing here," Rose started to say, "is that we're in the middle of an invasion--" He was cut off, however, as The Storm shot him a venomous look which shut him up.  
  
Regal picked up the thought. "We're in the middle of an invasion, gentlemen, and this is precisely what the Alliance wants -- for the WWF and CIW to tear themselves apart with in-fighting."  
  
Mr. McMahon glowered at them. "Now if you two come to blows during your match tonight, then I will suspend you both for six months without pay, and Storm's title will be stripped from him -- something that I don't want to happen, and something I imagine you don't want to happen either, am I right, Storm?"  
  
The Storm merely nodded at that, his gaze returning to Austin's. He finally spoke. "No sweat, Vince. I could win this match by myself, even if my partner is a bald-headed, in-bred, slack-jawed redneck who's killed all his brain cells with beer."  
  
Austin cocked his head slightly. "What?"  
  
Skinner smirked slightly. "Deaf, too."  
  
"What?" "I said deaf, too." "What?" "Deaf _and _stupid." "What?" "Hey, Austin, amoronsayswhat."  
  
Austin responded to that setup with a middle finger. The Storm scowled. The Rattlesnake sneered. "You think I'm that stupid, Storm? What? Listen here, ya yella-bellied som'bitch, you may be the WCW Champion--"  
  
"Damn straight I am."  
  
"--but tonight you're teaming up with a former WWF Champion -- a _real _champion. So tonight, you follow _my_ lead." Austin raised a knuckle to tap the belt on The Storm's shoulder, but Skinner grabbed his wrist before contact was made.  
  
"Keep your goddamn hands off my belt," he growled. "And watch what you say about my damn title. This _is _a real title, Steve, maybe more real than the WWF title." He glanced to Vince. "No offense, Vinnie."  
  
Regal cleared his throat. "Gentlemen, you're excused."  
  
The Storm glanced at him, then back at Austin before nodding his head at the door. "After you."  
  
Austin nodded the same way. "After _you_."  
  
Skinner's eyes narrowed. "I asked you first."  
  
Austin shrugged. "I asked you second."  
  
The Storm sneered. "Well, I'm staying."  
  
Austin smirked. "_I'm _staying."  
  
"Fine, then. Stay." "I _will _stay."  
  
Frowning, Skinner folded his arms, only to have Austin do the same thing a moment later. Neither man was giving an inch. Vince sat heavily at the desk and massaged his scalp with his fingers as Regal and Rose shared weary looks.  
  
* * *  
  
Another match that night was a U.S. Title match between the defending champion Victor E and the uber-popular Alliance superstar, Rob Van Dam. After the Hardcore Champion successfully defended his title against Victor the preceding _Raw_, it was decided by the Alliance leadership that because RVD had scored a pinfall on the U.S. Champion, he should get a title shot. So the match was made.  
  
Van Dam came out the early aggressor, kicking away at Victor's arms and knees, trying to weaken him and prevent him from scoring the Victory Slam. The CIWer, however, continually kicked out and eventually built momentum against RVD, starting to take the match back for himself. He worked the legs of the Whole F'n Show, to limit his moveset and hopefully to set up the Jaws of Defeat.  
  
Then Van Dam accidentally took out the referee with a second-rope martial arts kick, allowing him to slam Victor and land the Rolling Thunder. But, seeing the ref knocked out, RVD went outside and brought in a steel chair. He held it up, then waited for the Victorious One to stand up and face him. Once the CIWer did so, RVD tossed him the chair and then went for the Van Daminator. Victor had it scouted, however, and ducked the kick, pivoting around to brain him with the chair before placing it on the mat and lifting RVD up. He set him up for a pumphandle, swinging him up into a fireman's carry before swinging him out into a flapjack straight onto the chair -- the Victory Slam.  
  
Victor disposed of the chair and hooked a leg just as the referee recovered. 1... 2... 3, and Victor E retained his title. He stood up and reclaimed his belt, then posed on the ropes. As he stepped back down, he saw Van Dam sitting up, stretching out his neck. The two superstars met each other's eyes, then stared each other down. Victor frowned, as if thinking about something, then held out his hand. RVD looked at it, then accepted it, shaking his hand. Mutual respect.  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, Edge was talking with the Z-Men. "Thanks again for your help, dudes."  
  
"No problem, man," Zed replied. "Anything to get one over on those stupid X-Factor pricks."  
  
"Yeah," Zeta added. "We can't stand X-Puke or YaaaaaaaaaAlbert either."  
  
Edge grinned. "Yeah, but at least Albert's wearing a shirt."  
  
Zeta nodded, smirking as well. "Yeah. Hairy-Back Man ain't showing off his Bigfoot heritage."  
  
Edge was about to reply when something rang in his bag. He pulled out his cell phone and answered it. "Hello?" He blinked, then paled before saying, "Yeah, I'll be right there. Th-thanks." He looked shaken as he put the phone away and grabbed his luggage. "I gotta... I gotta go. Talk to you later." He rushed off, leaving the Z-Men quite puzzled.  
  
* * *  
  
"Christian!" The Intercontinental Champion looked up from his belt, which he was currently polishing, to see Edge running up to him. Christian dropped the belt and raised his fists. Edge shook his head. "No, listen, there's no time for that. The police just called me. Mom's been in an accident. We gotta go."  
  
"What?" Christian said. "Why didn't they call me first?"  
  
"Look, this isn't about you!" Edge bristled. "Mom's been in an accident! Let's go!"  
  
The two brothers started walking. "I can't believe this," Christian muttered.  
  
"Me neither," Edge said, still a little shaken. "We can be... we can be there in four hours... if we hurry. Come on."  
  
As they approached the door to the parking lot, however, they were accosted by Kanyon, Hugh Morrus, and Chuck Palumbo. Morrus sneered. "Hey, boys, what's the hurry? Going somewhere?"  
  
Edge, in no mood to be detained, shoved him back. "I don't have time for you! I--" Then Christian suddenly hit him in the back of the head with his title belt. Edge toppled forward, dropping his bags, and the three Alliance members pounced, beating on him and throwing him into the wall. Edge was completely helpless as Palumbo and Kanyon held Edge's arms as Christian slapped him in the face.  
  
"You know something, Edge?" The 'deranged maestro' sneered. "You make me _sick_!" Then he smirked evilly. "There _was _an accident, Edge. Twenty-nine years ago -- when Mom gave birth to _you_!" He sneered again, then drove his belt into Edge's forehead, knocking him out.  
  
* * *  
  
At the Alliance VIP Room, Shane, Stephanie, and Heyman all looked at this. The Siblings looked surprised, while Heyman chortled. "Oh, this is just too good!" He laughed again, then turned to Shane and Steph as he stood up. With a wide grin, he said, "Ladies and gentlemen, despite the fact that the man is... merely a Canadian... I wanna be the first to announce to the world that the Alliance has a new member -- and the newest member of the Alliance is the Intercontinental Champion -- CHRISTIAN!"  
  
* * *  
  
After this incident, the next match of the Women's Title Tournament took place between Trish Stratus and the turncoat diva, Ivory. Trish was very much the underdog in the match, being as that she had little prior wrestling experience, and that Ivory was a former champion herself. Nonetheless, the former fitness model surprised everyone, including Ivory, when she actually busted out a few wrestling moves and managed to score several nearfalls early.  
  
Ivory, however, was the veteran, and managed to take the momentum back, wearing down the blond-haired Canadian diva. Then, just as Ivory was about to put her away with the Poison Ivory, Trish shoved Ivory back into the ropes and kicked her in the head with a stiff savate kick. As the traitor got back up, Trish kicked her in the gut, then grabbed her by the head. She ran to the ropes, braced her feet on the top rope, then pushed off and turned around, bringing Ivory's head back down in a springboard bulldog, which Michael Cole dubbed the "Stratusfaction." Following this, she made the cover and got the pinfall to advance into the semifinals.  
  
Following the match, Trish quickly left the ring and retreated up the ramp as an angered Ivory got up and attempted to attack her. The former fitness model just grinned and raised her hand in the air in victory.  
  
* * *  
  
Victor E was walking through the halls as he headed back for the CIW locker room, mopping his face and neck with a towel, his U.S. Title draped over his shoulder. Part-way there, he found himself braced by a pair of identically-clad wrestlers. Both had WCW Tag Team Championship belts draped over their shoulder, and one of them had tattoos on his upper arms. Victor glanced up. "Castor, Pollux," he said by way of greeting.  
  
"Well, well, well, Cas, lookit what we got here," Pollux said. "It's Victor E."  
  
Castor nodded. "The Victorious One."  
  
"Mr. Always Triumphant," the tattooed Twin added.  
  
"The last CIW Champion," the Twin with the educated feet threw in.  
  
Then they both reached out and rapped their knuckles on his title belt. "The U.S. Champion," they said in unison.  
  
"What do you guys want?" Victor asked.  
  
"Correct us if we're wrong," Castor said, "but did we just see you shaking hands with Rob Van Dam?"  
  
"Y'know, Mr. Alliance Dude?" Pollux put in.  
  
"The guy who's always pointing to himself?" Castor jerked his thumb at himself in mockery of the "thumbs" gimmick.  
  
"Yeah, what about it?" Victor said.  
  
"He's the enemy," Pollux said bluntly. "In case you forgot."  
  
"So what?" Victor said. "I showed the guy a little respect. He gave me a decent fight. He's got the skills."  
  
"Not tryin' to get in good with the Alliance, are ya?" Cas said darkly.  
  
"Plotting to turn traitor on us or something?" Pol growled.  
  
Victor stared at them. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you the two who've been picking fights with `Taker and Kane?"  
  
The Twins narrowed their eyes. "What are you implying?" they said in unison.  
  
"Oh, nothing, it just seems (a) pretty damn stupid to pick a fight with the baddest tag-team in the Fed, and (b) awfully suspicious that you'd do it, almost like you _want_ to cause the Coalition to fall apart." Victor adjusted his belt on his shoulder, looking a bit smug.  
  
The Gemini narrowed their eyes at him, skewering him with a twin glare before stepping back and out of his path. Victor walked past them, keeping his eyes on them until he rounded the corner and left. The Twins stared after him for a moment, then they both turned and marched down the corridor for the ring.  
  
* * *  
  
"We're being joined here at ringside by the reigning WCW Tag Champions, Castor and Pollux, the Gemini," Michael Cole said as the Twins took the additional headsets down next to Jim Pickett, who sat on Cole's right. To the WWF announcer's left was the Alliance's mouthpiece, Tazz. "Castor, Pollux, glad to have you with us."  
  
"Yeah," Castor said as he put his headset on, "sure, whatever."  
  
"What my brother means to say," Pollux explained as he also donned a headset and sat down at the same time as his twin, "is we're just out here to scout some talent, see whether or not any of these morons deserve to share the ring with the Gemini."  
  
"What are you two idiots talkin' about?" Tazz interjected. "You got lucky when you beat Kane and Undertaker. You're lucky to be alive right now."  
  
"My unfortunate broadcast colleague's viewpoint aside," Pickett spoke up, "I think it's great that CIW has helped win a few key battles -- not to mention belts! -- for the WWF/CIW Coalition. We hold the U.S. Title, thanks to Victor E! We hold the WCW Tag Titles, thanks to the Gemini! We hold the WCW World Title, thanks to The Storm!"  
  
"All very excellent points, Pick, indeed, but I will point out that The Storm has made it quite clear he's not affiliating himself with CIW," Cole put in.  
  
"Ah, yes, that is true," Pickett admitted. "But he is an alum of CIW, and that's close enough for me."  
  
By this point, the match -- which was for the WWF Tag Titles -- was underway, with the champions, the Dudleys, facing off against their perennial rivals, the Hardys. The match itself was nothing special off the bat, the usual outing between the two "extreme" teams. (One called 'extreme' because of their heritage, the other such because of their lifestyle.) The Dudleys got the momentum after the early going and started to pick Jeff Hardy apart with some smart tag-team work, isolating him while Matt tried desparately to get the tag.  
  
The Gemini had much to say in favor of the masters of the tables, again showing that the two champion teams might be kindred spirits, enemies by allegiance only. Castor even admitted at one point, "Hey, if we weren't in the middle of an invasion right now, we could get along with the Dudleys." To which Pollux added, "`Course, since there's only room for one dominant tag-team, we'd have to kick their ass to show `em whose boss."  
  
These words, however, could not have been spoken sooner, as Kane & Undertaker appeared on the ramp, where they just stood and watched the match, and more importantly, their newfound rivals in the Gemini. Kane adjusted his glove threateningly and flicked his hair out of his eyes, while Taker folded his arms and just glared menacingly. The Gemini both stood up in unison at the announce table, picking their title belts up off the desk and putting them on their shoulders, just glaring back.  
  
In the ring, the Dudleys were thrown off by the sudden appearance of the Brothers of Destruction, which allowed Jeff to hit his reverse enzuigiri mulekick on Bubba Ray and lunge to tag in Matt. The dark-haired Hardy took it to the Dudleys, hitting his side headlock takedown -- which he called the "Side Effect" -- on D-Von and then ducking a clothesline from Bubba. The overweight Dudley got a shot in the gut, followed by a Twist of Fate. D-Von got up and clobbered him from behind, but then Jeff came flying back in, crashing into D-Von and taking him over the top rope.  
  
The Gemini ripped off their headsets, moving around the ring -- away from the action, where Jeff and D-Von were fighting -- to advance toward the Brothers of Destruction. Referee Mike Sparks left the ring and quickly interceded, keeping the two non-involved tag-teams from starting a fight that could spill into the ring. This, however, started to go awry as D-Von sent Jeff into the barricade, then climbed to the top rope as Bubba slammed Matt and held him down for the Sans-Wassap Drop. D-Von started to go for the tables, but as he started to pull it out from under the ring, Jeff Hardy recovered and began his trademark "rail-run" clothesline by running along the barricade toward him.  
  
D-Von Dudley, however, had the move well scouted by now and ducked out of the way, so Jeff ended up plowing into the Gemini, who went sprawling on the floor, only to get up, severely pissed off. Sparks was busy trying to restrain Taker and Kane from getting involved, and so didn't see Pol clock D-Von in the head with his title and Cas nearly take Jeff's head off with a big boot. The Gemini then started fighting up the ramp with the Brothers, who eagerly returned the brawling, while poor Sparks turned around and tried to figure out what happened with Jeff and D-Von.  
  
In the ring, Bubba was being chopped in the corner by Matt Hardy, who finally pulled him out and set him up for a Twist of Fate. After delivering it, Matt went up to the second rope for his "guns" legdrop. D-Von, however, had managed to recover from the title-belt shot -- not without a little twitching and wooziness, however -- and cut him off. He set Matt up on the top rope and grabbed him around the waist, lifting him up and back -- straight into Bubba's waiting grasp for a top-rope "super 3-D!" Sparks slid back in the ring to count the pinfall. 1... 2... 3!  
  
The Dudley Boyz eagerly collected their championship belts back, then turned to look toward the Gemini, who seemed to be on even footing with Taker and Kane. Finally, the Twins managed to get the Dead Man off their back by sending him face-first into the steel structure of the _Smackdown!_ set. That just left Kane, who was looking a little dizzy after getting a belt across the noggin. The CIWers took him toward the edge of the stage, where Pollux looked to whip him away from the edge, only to hold on, pull him back, then suddenly lift him high, pivoting around as Castor stepped in to take hold of Kane and help his brother deliver a vicious Twin Terror Bomb -- _off the stage and into the electrical equipment!_  
  
The crowd gasped in surprise, bright sparks flying off the equipment as Kane writhed in agony, deep, guttural bellows of pain coming from the masked freak. The Gemini sneered down at him, then turned and quickly stomped on Undertaker as he struggled to get back up from his face-first meeting with the steel structure. At the bottom of the ramp, the Dudleys -- who had been advancing on the Twins with ill intent -- stopped, looking with shock at the decimated form of the Big Red Machine. The Gemini turned to face them, smirking, then both raised their titles in unison to a massive boos from the audience.  
  
Now no one could deny it -- by taking out Kane in such a vicious and brutal manner, Castor & Pollux had proved they were indeed a force to be reckoned with.  
  
* * *  
  
In the VIP Room, both Vince McMahon and Billy Rose were furious at the actions of the Twins. "What the hell are they doing!?" they both yelled at the same time.  
  
"I told them not to pick a fight with them!" Rose shouted.  
  
"They just took out one of our biggest wrestlers!" Vince screamed at him. "How could you let this happen!?"  
  
"Me?!" Rose shouted back. "What were Taker and Kane even doing out there?! They provoked Cas and Pol by showing themselves!"  
  
Commissioner Regal spoke up. "Perhaps if you could both just--"  
  
"Shut up!" Rose and McMahon both roared at him before turning to look at each other. Vince spoke first, shoving his finger in the CIW mastermind's face. "You'd better get them under control, or I might just have to cut CIW out of this altogether!"  
  
"You can't cut us out!" Rose snapped. "CIW is the only thing standing between the WWF and total defeat by the Alliance! In spite of these little territorial squabbles between our guys, we're winning! We hold their three top championships: the Tag Titles, the U.S. Title, and the World Title!"  
  
"And now they hold _our_ three top championships!" Vince snapped back. "They hold our Tag Titles, they hold our World Title, and now -- thanks to Christian betraying us -- they hold the Intercontinental Title too!" Rose frowned, as Vince had him there. The Chairman pressed on: "The Alliance isn't having all these problems like we are! We're on the verge of falling apart, and it's all thanks to you!"  
  
"Hey, this isn't all _my_ fault!" the Californian protested. "Christian's been bitter about Edge's success for months now, it was only a matter of time before he snapped completely -- we just didn't expect him to snap at such an inopportune time, or to drag X-Factor into all this. As for Austin and Skinner..." He shook his head. "Neither I nor CIW had anything to do with his going insane like this. That is all thanks to the Alliance."  
  
Vince dropped back in his chair, grumbling as the CIW ringleader continued: "Ever since he won the WCW World Title, Skinner hasn't been himself. He's obsessed with that belt -- you saw him in here earlier! He wouldn't even let Austin _touch _it. And the Alliance has been doing everything it can to try and take that title away from him. You expect _any_ man to stay stable under that sort of pressure, much less someone with a history of psychotic episodes like Matthew Skinner?"  
  
Regal nodded, speaking up again, judging that he wouldn't be yelled at this time. "I wouldn't put it past the Alliance to try and increase the tension between Mr. Skinner and Mr. Austin between now and _Wrestlemania_, just to try and further disrupt things here in the WWF."  
  
Rose and McMahon shared horrified looks. That was exactly the sort of thing that Shane, Stephanie, and Heyman would pull.  
  
* * *  
  
In the main event match between Triple H & Rhyno against The Storm & Stone Cold, there was more than just "tension" between the WWF team members. It was beyond "so thick you could cut it with a knife." It was now in the range of "you could cut it with a chainsaw." The tags between Austin and Skinner were fierce and sharp, and once or twice they would deliver a knife-edge chop in lieu of a simple slap of the hand. Sometimes it looked like they might come to blows in mid-match, only to be kept from doing it by Mr. McMahon's threat of suspension.  
  
Helmsley and Rhyno, on the other hand, were working smoothly as a unit, soon isolating The Storm, who in spite of his recently developed taste for pain, was in dire straits, as no amount of his incredible resilience or brawling ability enabled him to reverse the momentum long enough to make the tag. Austin paced impatiently on the apron, reaching out his hand whenever Skinner got enough of a break to crawl to the corner, only to be denied as either Triple H or the Man-Beast would drag him away again.  
  
Finally, The Storm was locked in a bearhug by Rhyno, who shook him back and forth like a rag doll, trying to squeeze the breath out of him. Austin was pounding the turnbuckle, rallying the crowd behind the WWF team as Skinner looked to be fading in the ECWer's grip. Just as the referee went to check on him, however, the Force of Nature suddenly stood upright, face alight with savage intensity. He pushed Rhyno's head back, then grabbed him by the ears, twisting, digging his nails into the skin. With a pained yell, Rhyno released him, grabbing at the hands holding his ears. The Storm hooked him and delivered a snap suplex, then turned onto his belly and crawled for Austin again.  
  
Finally, The Storm made the hot tag, and the Rattlesnake hit the ring, fresh as a daisy, but smelling of beer and thus not nearly as good. He started throwing around punches and clotheslines like they were going out of style. He caught Triple H as he got back up, kicking him in the stomach and setting him up for a Stunner when he caught sight of Rhyno charging for the Gore. Austin stepped aside and let the Game take the shoulder tackle, then kicked Rhyno before giving him a Stunner.  
  
Austin covered Triple H, the legal man, but Rhyno had enough senses left to kick the referee to disrupt the count. The Storm came barreling in and caught the Man-Beast with a flying low dropkick to the face that sent him out of the ring. Austin pulled Triple H up and gave him a Stunner for good measure, then covered again as The Storm stomped Rhyno off the apron. 1... 2... 3! The WWF team won, just barely.  
  
The Storm and Stone Cold got their hands raised by the referee, but then Austin shoved Earl Hebner away and turned to The Storm. Before Skinner could react, the Bionic Redneck kicked him in the stomach, then pivoted and dropped him in the Stunner. He went flying off his feet, landing on the mat with a crash as Stone Cold stood over him, flipping him the double bird before calling for the beer. As he did so, he also grabbed the WCW Championship belt. He held it in one hand and one of his opened beers in the other. He held it over The Storm's body, toasted the belt, then dropped it on him before toasting the crowd and drinking his beer.  
  
The final image before _Smackdown! _went off the air was Stone Cold standing on the ramp, beers in hand, facing the ring as The Storm's furious visage snarled on the TitanTron.  
  
**more to come-**  
  
Next: Stone Cold stepped up the conflict, but how will The Storm retaliate as the Coalition continues to crumble?  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
May 6, 2003 


	27. Break His Neck

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger  
  
Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Monday after the last one.  
  
Teaser: Stone Cold stepped up the conflict, but how will The Storm retaliate as the Coalition continues to crumble?  
  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.  
  
Previously: **Edge & The Z-Men def. Christian & X-Factor**, following a Buzz Killer/Edgeacution DDT. Backstage, The Storm and Stone Cold were told to cooperate and keep from losing their tempers with each other or face suspension by Mr. McMahon. **Victor E def. Rob Van Dam** to retain US Title., then the two showed each other mutual respect. Backstage, Edge got a call telling him his mother had been in an accident, then rushed to inform Christian. As the two prepared to leave, however, it was revealed it was a ruse and Christian -- now a member of the Alliance -- attacked Edge with several WECW cohorts. **Trish Stratus def. Ivory **with the Stratusfaction to advance in the Women's Title Tournament. Backstage again, Victor E was accosted by the Gemini, who didn't take too kindly to Victor's respect for RVD earlier that night, but Victor threw their animosity with Undertaker & Kane in their faces. **Dudleyz def. Hardyz** to retain WWF Tag Titles, after the Gemini (ringside to commentate) got involved in a brawl with Taker & Kane at ringside. Following the match, Kane got Twin Terror Bombed off the stage and through the electrical equipment. In the main event, **The Storm & Stone Cold def. Triple H & Rhyno**, following a Stunner on Triple H. After the match, Austin then promptly turned around and Stunner'd The Storm before drinking beer to close the show.  
  
FYI: List of Champions:   
**WWF World **- Triple H (WECW) / **WCW World** - The Storm (WWF)  
**Intercontinental **- Christian (WWF) / **U.S.** - Victor E (CIW)  
**WWF** **Tag **- Dudley Boyz (WECW) / **WCW Tag** - The Gemini (CIW)**  
Light-Heavyweight** - X-Pac (WWF) / **Cruiserweight** - Billy Kidman (WECW)  
**European **- vacant / **Women's** - vacant / **Hardcore **- Rob Van Dam (WECW)  
  
**Chapter 27: Break His Neck  
  
Monday: _Raw is War_, March 10 - 13 days to _Wrestlemania_**  
  
Vince McMahon walked backstage in the arena, looking extremely worried. The invasion wasn't going well at all. The Alliance was fully in control of itself, while the WWF was at its own throat. Rose and his blasted "counter-invasion" of CIW hadn't helped in the slightest. If anything, it was making matters worse. Kane was still injured from being powerbombed off the stage by the Gemini, and Undertaker was stationed outside the CIW locker room, waiting for them to step out so he could exact his revenge. Rose was currently in said locker room, berating everyone in the CIW colors about their fighting with the WWF.  
  
And then there was the matter of Matthew Skinner. Vince knew that after getting Stunner'd on Thursday, The Storm would be out for vengeance, and with things the way they were, he couldn't have them killing each other, no matter what may happen at _Wrestlemania_. They were two of his best superstars, and right now he needed every one he could get. He stopped a stagehand. "Have you seen Skinner?"  
  
The stagehand pointed. "Yeah, he's in that dressing room there."  
  
McMahon nodded to him, then went directly to said room. The door had a placard on it that bore The Storm's lightning-bolt-and-exclamation-point symbol as well as his name. Without knocking, the Chairman barged inside, finding the Force of Nature standing in a darkened room, sunglasses on, watching a TV monitor, the glow providing the most illumination. It reflected off his sunglasses, his mouth set in a firm line as he watched whatever-it-was. His WCW Title belt was draped over one shoulder, both hands holding the strap, the gold contrasting against his black T-Shirt.  
  
"Skinner, I want to talk to you," Vince said as he stepped inside. The Storm made no sign that he'd heard him. He moved one hand -- which McMahon now saw held a remote control -- and rewound the tape in the the VCR atop the monitor, watching whatever-it-was again, the light flickering over his sunglasses. "All right, fine, then, if you won't talk, I will. I know you're probably thinking about going after Stone Cold tonight, and I don't blame you -- I've been on the receiving end of a few Stunners in my lifetime, and I know the experience isn't pleasant. But I don't want you doing anything to Austin tonight, do you get me?"  
  
"You don't want me doing anything to Austin?" The Storm said at last. "I'm not sure if I can promise that, Vince." His gaze had not moved from the TV set.  
  
"I don't care if you can't promise that!" Vince snapped. "I'm telling you, if you so much as lay a finger on Austin tonight, I will suspend you."  
  
"You won't suspend me." He glanced up, pausing and rewinding the video. "You need loyal superstars to take on the Alliance, and I fit the bill."  
  
"You're set to take on Stone Cold at _Wrestlemania_," McMahon agreed. "I can't do anything to stop that. But, dammit, I won't have my company go down to those ungrateful children of mine!"  
  
"You have my assurances, Vince," The Storm said, "that I won't do anything that hasn't been done already."  
  
He gave Vince an eerie little smirk, then calmly walked around the monitor and out the door, past the dumbfounded Chairman. Vince frowned a bit, then went into the darkened room and looked at the monitor. He gaped a bit at what he saw, grabbing the remote and playing the video, hoping it wasn't what he thought it was. Unfortunately, it was exactly what it seemed. He turned off the monitor and ran out of the locker room, but by now The Storm was gone. He found the stagehand again and asked him, "Where did Skinner go?" but only got a shrug in response.  
  
The tape in the VCR was from _Summerslam `97_.  
  
* * *  
  
Elsewhere, Castor and Pollux swaggered into the hallways from the garage, dressed identically in sleeveless shirts and slacks, wearing their WCW Tag Titles over their shoulders. They had very cocky grins on their faces as they made their way toward the CIW locker room. After all, why shouldn't they be cocky? Last Thursday they not only powerbombed Kane, they delivered their infamous Twin Terror Bomb to the masked superstar -- and sent him off the stage and into the electrical equipment.  
  
The Gemini had very quickly made a name for themselves this way. They had already gotten a great deal of attention by defeating three teams at _No Way Out _to capture the WCW Tag Team Championship -- Tommy Dreamer and Raven, Diamond Dallas Page and Kanyon, and of course Undertaker and Kane. In defeating the Brothers of Destruction, the Twins became the first people in recollection to have given Taker a powerbomb. And now they made history again by being the first ones to give a powerbomb to Kane. Who in their right minds would mess with them?  
  
The answer, apparently, was Billy Rose, for as the Gemini walked into the locker room, they found the CIW ringleader waiting for them. "Hello, boys, glad you could make it, now go home."  
  
Castor raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"  
  
"You heard me," Rose scowled. "Go home. I managed to talk Heyman into not putting booking you guys in a match, and I convinced Regal to keep you out of action as well. So you don't have any reason to be here. Go. Home."  
  
Pollux sneered. "Well what if we don't wanna go home, Billy? Suppose Cas and I--"  
  
"--wanna stick around?" Castor finished.  
  
Rose's eyes blazed. "Look, after what you two pulled last week, Kane is still out of action, and Undertaker's lurking about with murder on his mind. Now I _told _you guys that we're on the same team as the WWF, and I _told _you not to provoke Taker and Kane, but you guys went out and did it again, and now you've stepped into some deep shit. I don't want you trying anything stupid, and I don't want Taker killing you guys. So go home before something happens."  
  
The Twins frowned and moved forward in unison, looming over him. "Look, Billy, if we wanna stick around," Castor started, "then who's gonna make us leave?" Pollux finished.  
  
"Me," came a deep voice behind them. The Gemini blinked and turned. Standing behind them, arms folded, was Brick. He glowered down at them, biceps bulging. They could see he'd gotten his catchphrase tattooed on his right arm: _Do Not Taunt_.  
  
"Ah," Castor said.  
  
"Yeah, ah," Pollux echoed.  
  
"We'll just, ah, be going, then," they said in unison, edging around Brick and out the door.  
  
The Breaker-Man followed them, keeping them in his sight until they got into their car and drove off. He turned to head back to the CIW locker room, but the Undertaker was right behind him. "What the hell was that about?" the Phenom demanded.  
  
"Rose sent 'em home," Brick told him. "So there wouldn't be any trouble."  
  
"Trouble? The little sons of bitches powerbombed Kane off the stage!" Taker advanced, looking him square in the eye. "I'd say there _is _trouble! You just lettin' 'em walk away?"  
  
"Wasn't my idea," Brick growled at him. "Talk to Rose." He went to leave, but Taker grabbed his arm.  
  
"You tell Rose this, then: if those twin assholes show their face around here again, I'll make them famous!" The Dead Man glared Brick in the eyes for a few more seconds, but the Breaker-Man stared right back. Finally, they both backed up and walked away at the same time.  
  
* * *  
  
Clips of these backstage happenings all aired after the opening match, another part of the Women's Championship Tournament, which had the WWF's Jacqueline pitted against the Alliance's Stacy Keibler. As one might expect, Stacy was out of her element against the tough Texas diva, and with the Dudleys yet to arrive, Jackie had a clear path to victory, which she scored after a spinning heel kick to the face. Following the backstage clips, the lights dimmed and the big screen lit up.  
  
_"Christian!" _sang the TitanTron, causing a chorus of boos to rise up to counter the chorus of operatic voices, _"Chris-TIAAN! At last, you are on your OOOOOOWN!"_ The rock music started up as golden pyro sparks rained from the top of the TitanTron, a fountain of the same sparks springing up in the entryway. The fountain faded, revealing the traitorous Intercontinental Champion. The jeering increased as Christian strutted down the ramp, gesturing grandly to either side, pointing smugly at his title belt around his waist.  
  
"Well here comes the latest traitor to the cause," Jim Ross remarked sourly. "Last week on _Smackdown_, we learned that the Intercontinental Champion, Christian, will go to any lengths to take down his brother, Edge, when he tricked Edge into a heinous backstage attack."  
  
"Yes, J.R.," Paul Heyman gloated, "but you forget to mention the fact that Christian was assisted in said attack by his _new_ family! Ladies and gentlemen at home, the Alliance is proud to welcome into the family, the WWF Intercontinental Champion, Christian!" Surprisingly, Jim Pickett, the CIW commentator seated on the farside of J.R. from Heyman, said nothing to this, instead looking at a little index card he had in his hands.  
  
Christian headed around the ring toward the announce position, but stopped en route to look at a young boy in the front row. In a startling act of generosity, Christian removed his trademark pair of "crazy-ass" sunglasses and put them on the boy's face. "Aw, isn't that nice?" Heyman smirked.  
  
"Shades of the great Bret Hart," J.R. agreed, "though why would he-- wait a minute!" He interrupted himself when Christian suddenly snatched the shades back and replaced them on his face, laughing cruelly as he sat himself next to Heyman and took an extra headset. "What was the meaning of that?" J.R. demanded when he put the headset on.  
  
"You know something," Chrisitan smirked, "I was about to do something nice... but then I just realised how ugly that kid was!" He shook his head. "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's ugly kids." Pickett was still quiet, tapping the index card on the table as he looked over at Christian. The traitorous champion noticed him. "What're you lookin' at?"  
  
"Oh, just wondering how ugly you're going to be in thirteen days, after _Wrestlemania_," Pickett replied.  
  
"Why's that?" Christian sneered.  
  
"Just that I was informed by Billy Rose and Commissioner Regal earlier today that a match was just signed for _Wrestlemania_," the Voice of CIW chuckled. "You'll put your Intercontinental Championship on the line against your brother, Edge--" Christian just scoffed, until Pickett finished: "--in a ladder match!"  
  
"What?!" the champion shrieked, but then the lights dimmed again as the music heralded the arrival of Rhyno. The Detroit native stalked out to the ring, squeezing his wrist and breathing heavily in anticipation as he faced the ramp.  
  
The lights dimmed again, theatrical smoke billowing up from the stage. _"You think you know me..."_ The fans cheered as the TitanTron lit up with the face of the arriving superstar. _"You will never know me... yeeeeah my Durango..."_ Edge came bounding out of the smoke, wearing one of his black trenchcoats and sunglasses, jumping back and forth to fire up the crowd before he threw off his coat and sunglasses, sprinting into the ring.  
  
Rhyno got things started by halting Edge's momentum with a kick to the gut. He continued by unloading punches to his face, then drove more wind out of him with a kneelift. Rhyno sent the Edgester into the corner, then charged in with a ferocious shoulder to the stomach. Turning around from the blow, he gave Edge a snapmare, then shot off the ropes and drove his knee into the head of the young Canadian.  
  
At ringside, Heyman was singing the praises of the Man-Beast. "Here you see the ferocity that is Rhyno's trademark. He's literally not giving Edge a chance to catch his breath here."  
  
"That's the way, Rhyno!" Christian shouted. "Less work for me to do at the pay-per-view."  
  
In the ring, Rhyno throttled Edge against the second rope, then charged off the ropes, intending to deliver a Bossman stradle, but Edge got up and stopped him in his tracks with a spinning wheel kick. Both men got to their feet, but Edge blocked a swing from Rhyno and delivered a punch. Pissed off, the ECWer swung his arm, only to get ducked and feel an atomic drop from the former Brood member. Edge shot off the ropes and hit a clothesline of his own. He went for the whip to the ropes, but Rhyno reversed and lowered his head for a backdrop. Edge, however, put the brakes on and kicked him upright.  
  
Pissed off again, Rhyno booted him in the stomach, then punched him in the head. Edge retaliated in kind, then paused and looked to the outside. Christian looked back at him, but snarled as he saw Edge turn back and avoid a wild lunge by Rhyno. The Canadian punched him until he fought back and sent him to the outside. The last ECW Champion followed, throwing him against the apron and rolling him back in. "Not that easy, Edge," Rhyno muttered as he slipped back in to deliver a snapmare. He followed up with a legdrop, then made the first cover of the match, but only got a one-count.  
  
Edge got up and started feeding him right hands again, then went off the ropes for a bigger move -- only to get stopped in his tracks. He turned around to see Christian holding onto his ankle. Smirking, the Edgester leaned over and pulled his brother onto the apron by his hair. "Hey, little bro! Long time no see!" he taunted, then jumped aside as Rhyno barreled into Christian, driving him off the apron. Before the Man-Beast could react, Edge grabbed him under the jaw and delivered the Edge-O-Matic. He grabbed the legs and held the arms down with his knees, but only got a two-count. Edge pulled him up and went for the whip, but Rhyno reversed, then caught him on the rebound, pivoting around to plant him in a monstrous spinebuster. Snarling, Rhyno pulled him up and swung him up for a powerbomb, but Edge leaned himself backwards and reversed it into a facebuster. Getting up dizzy, Rhyno swung wildly, only to be dodged and kicked in the gut. Edge hooked his head, grabbed the tights and lifted him up and dropped him in the Buzzkiller DDT. He covered, 1... 2... and Christian pulled him from the ring and hurled him into the barricade. Nick Patrick -- in a surprising move for the blatantly biased official -- called for the disqualification.  
  
"Leave me to take a spear, Edge?!" Christian shouted at him. "Well, time for you to feel one!" He rolled Edge back in, where Rhyno was waiting in the crouch. The Man-Beast charged -- and hit nothing but turnbuckle as Edge dodged aside. Gaping, Christian shoved the timekeeper aside, grabbed his chair and charged the ring. Edge, however, spotted him and took off like a bullet, catching him with a spear.  
  
"I've been waiting all night to say this," Pickett smirked. "SPEAR! SPEAR! SPEAR!"  
  
"Shut up! Shut up!" Heyman snapped. "Edge just speared a defenseless man!"  
  
"He had a steel chair!" J.R. pointed out.  
  
"He-he was just bringing Edge something to sit in to catch his breath!"  
  
In the ring, Edge put the stomps to his brother before the treacherous Canadian managed to roll out of the ring and escape up the ramp, Edge shouting taunts after him.  
  
* * *  
  
Somewhere in the arena, a wooden door had been set up in front of an alcove. Within the alcove was a table, a hanging light bulb, and a filing cabinet. (This cabinet's drawers were labeled thusly: "Beer, Cigars, More Beer, Playing Cards, Liquor.") The door, as you may have surmised, had a sign reading "APA Protection." Within, Bradshaw and Faarooq were in the midst of setting up shop for the night when two men walked around their door. The APA looked up and shouted at them: "Hey, what're you doin'?" "You can't just walk through the walls like that!" "Show a little sense!"  
  
The Gemini looked at each other, shrugged, stepped back around the door, then knocked on it before opening it. Bradshaw faced them, taking a draw on his booze before asking, "What can we do for you boys?"  
  
Castor walked in and laid his belt across the back of a chair and said, "Well, me and my brother don't really wanna go away for the night like Billy Rose asked us to."  
  
Pollux walked up next and put his own belt on the back of another chair and added, "But seeing as how we have... a certain individual angry at us, we figured it best to seek means of protection."  
  
"In other words," they said in unison, "you guys."  
  
Faarooq pulled his cigar out of his mouth and leaned forward. "Yeah, but you guys are the reason why the Coalition's fallin' apart."  
  
"Ah, not the only reason," Cas said with a smirk as he seated himself. "You could put some of the blame on Christian..."  
  
"And Kurt Angle..." Pol added as he sat down.  
  
"...and The Storm," they said together. They put their boots up on the table.  
  
"Give us one good reason why we shouldn't kick your asses right now for puttin' one of our top guys on the shelf?" Bradshaw demanded.  
  
The Twins looked at each other, sighed, then pulled a bundle of money out of their coat pockets and tossed them on the table. "Two. Thousand. Dollars," they said in unison.  
  
The APA paused in thought, but then Bradshaw smacked the money off the table and into their laps. "You two assholes don't have any respect for people around here!" the brash Texan snarled. "Sounds to me like you two need some respect beat into you!"  
  
Frowning, the two CIWers stood up and picked up their belts. "Yeah?" Pollux sneered. "Who's gonna do it? You two?"  
  
"You're too drunk to pose any kinda threat to us," Castor scoffed.  
  
"Tell you what," Bradshaw poked first one twin in the chest, then the other, "you two jackasses get your gear on, and we'll meet you out in the ring! And bring those shiny belts of yours -- we'll enjoy takin' them from you!"  
  
"You're on!" the Gemini snapped, then turned around and left, taking belts and money with them.  
  
* * *  
  
A few minutes later, the two teams clashed in the ring in an impromptu tag-title match. In the early going, the Gemini took it to the older team, until Bradshaw managed to catch a lunge by Pollux and turn it into a fallaway slam. The APA then took turns beating on either one of the Twins, until the closing moments.  
  
Things had broken down into a typical brawl. The Gemini managed to drop Faarooq with the Twin Terror Bomb, only to leave themselves open to a beer-powered beatdown by Bradshaw. He chopped and clubbed at the two in turn, before whipping Castor into the ropes and catching him with a big boot. The Twin with the educated feet rolled out the ring, while Pollux staggered to his feet.  
  
Bradshaw whipped Pol into the corner hard, preparing to catch him in the corner with the Clothesline from Hell, but the CIWer ducked under and shot off the ropes as the Texan hit the corner hard. Pollux came back and all but decapitated Bradshaw with his own version of the finisher -- the Apollo-line. The burly Texan actually spun in the air from the impact, then got folded over by the tattooed Twin for the three-count and the victory.  
  
The Gemini stomped Bradshaw until he rolled out of the ring and staggered off with Faarooq along the ramp, helped by the referee. Triumphant, the two CIWers posed in the ring, then prepared to leave when the TitanTron suddenly went _BONG! "Keep rollin' rollin' rollin'!" _The fans leapt to their feet and started cheering madly as the Gemini jumped in alarm. The telltale sound of a motorcycle engine revving filled the arena as the Undertaker appeared at the top of the ramp, pausing only long enough to fix his gaze on the two men who'd hospitalized his brother. Both twins dropped their belts and dropped into ready stances, calling, beckoning, _daring_ the Dead Man to step in the ring.  
  
Sneering, 'Taker rode down the ramp and circled the ring, ignoring the taunts from the twins. He parked at the ramp, then climbed off his bike, adjusted his gloves, then pulled a steel chain off the handlebars. The Gemini saw this and backed off, enabling Taker to climb in the ring. Once inside, they charged, only to be blocked, then beaten off with the chain. Taker beat them until they were in opposite corners, then worked Castor's ribs over before turning and running at Pollux for a corner clothesline. After colliding, he promptly turned around and did the same thing to Cas, then went back and did it to Pol again before turning around and flooring Cas with his second big boot of the night.  
  
Pollux fell over, but the American Badass pulled him to his knees, wrapping the chain around his neck. The fans cheered as the tattooed twin turned three shades of red while Taker pulled back on both ends of the chain. Castor got up and lunged, but the Houston native cut him off with a chokeslam, stomping him until he rolled out of the ring. When he turned back to the other Gemini, he saw Pollux roll out of the ring and pull the chain from his neck, choking and gasping. He threw this back through the ropes and backed up the ramp with his brother, clutching his throat, staring at the Dead Man in the ring, who picked up the chain and swung it overhead as his music started up again.  
  
Things weren't over between the Brothers of Destruction and the Gemini yet.  
  
* * *  
  
Backstage, following a quick and decisive victory over Stacy Keibler by Jacqueline in the Women's Title Tournament, Victor E was sampling some food in the catering room when Billy Rose walked up to him. "Vic, my man, how's it?"  
  
The Triumphant One smirked and shrugged a shoulder. "Hey, can't complain. United States Champion, baby! Ain't nothin' wrong with that."  
  
"Of course not," Rose agreed. "But, listen, there's been some talk going around in the locker room with this whole thing with RVD last Thursday."  
  
Victor rolled his eyes. "Did the Twins complain because I shook his hand? God! Look, Billy, I know we're on opposite sides, but Alliance or not, I respect RVD's ability. He beat me for his title, I beat him for mine. I got my skills, he's got his. That's it. I respect what he can do."  
  
Rose nodded, sighing. "I know, Vic, I know. Just thought I'd say, careful around the Alliance. After seeing how Cas and Pol are stirring things up, I wouldn't put it past Shane or Stephanie or Heyman to try and recruit you or further complicate things. Both you and the Gemini hold WCW belts right now, and they're going to try and break the Coalition apart." He trailed off and glared slightly as someone came up behind Victor.  
  
Victor turned around to see Rob Van Dam behind him, wearing his usual lazy smile and carrying his decrepit Hardcore Title on his shoulder. "Hey, dudes, chill!" the Whole Dam Show said smoothly. "I'm just here to get some munchies." He reached for some of the food, then looked up at Rose's rather suspicious look. RVD thought a moment, then raised his hands. "Hey, dude, relax! Just so you know, Shane and Steph did ask me to try and recruit Victor, but I know that Vic's not gonna go for it." He took a grape out of a bowl and tossed it in his mouth. "So chill out! But just in case, Vic, you should know you'll always have a buddy in the Alliance... named--" he raised his thumbs and did his usual schtick, "Rob - Van - Dam."  
  
Victor just chuckled a bit and shook his head, turning to Rose. "See, man, I told you he's cool."  
  
"Hey!" Van Dam grinned. "I'm _all_ cool. If I were any cooler, you could keep a side of meat in me."  
  
Rose smirked slightly, then shrugged. "Okay, but you go back and tell Shane and Steph we're on to them, okay, _dude_?" Van Dam nodded.  
  
"And Rob," Victor said. "Same goes to you. If you ever decide to switch sides, I'm sure there's some room for you in CIW, and you'll always have a buddy in CIW..." He slapped his chest and flashed a V with his fingers. "...Victor E, baby!"  
  
RVD grinned and nodded as the CIWers left. "Yeah... that's cool, man, that's cool." But as he turned to leave, he found himself staring into Test's pectorals. The Alliance turncoat glared down at him.  
  
"What was that all about?" Test demanded.  
  
"Hey, just lettin' Victor know we're cool and all, that's it," Van Dam assured him.  
  
"That you're _cool_?" Test sneered. "He's CIW, you're Alliance! You're the Hardcore Champion! Why didn't you kick his ass?"  
  
RVD looked up at him, slightly puzzled. "Why do you care? I'm doin' things my way."  
  
"Listen, punk," Test snapped, "don't get too cocky with me. I'm tight with Steph, Shane, and Hunter, remember, so I can get you kicked out of the Alliance."  
  
Van Dam frowned a bit. "Man, that would suck," but then he looked up with a smile. "But hey! It's all good! Vic can get me a place in CIW!" He grinned lazily, and ambled off, while Test fumed behind him.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Finally, it came time for the main event, between Stone Cold and Booker T. The early part of the match was _all _Austin, as the Rattlesnake beat the Alliance member around the ring, stomping mudholes (or rather What?-holes, considering the fans were chanting that with each stomp now) in him and walking them dry. But then, Alliance referee Nick Patrick, biased as usual, "didn't see" Booker grab the timekeeper's chair and use it on Austin's back, putting him on the defensive and letting the Bookerman dominate.  
  
Booker chopped and slapped Austin about, wearing him down and always preparing for the Scissor Kick. His first attempt at it missed, as Austin stood up and went for the Stunner. The Houston native countered, however, and went for the Book End. Austin elbowed out of it and went for the Stunner again. Again, Booker countered and this time landed the Book End, but only got two before Stone Cold got his foot on the rope. Booker went for the chair again, but Austin ducked the swing, waited for him to turn around, then kicked him in the stomach and landed the Stone Cold Stunner clean. Nick Patrick refused to count the fall, so Austin gave him a Stunner too. A WWF referee ran out and watched as Austin put the chair aside, stood Booker up, gave him a "Stone Cold salute," then Stunnered him once more for good measure before covering him for the win.  
  
As the fans cheered and Austin celebrated with his traditional case of beer, the fans didn't notice a man slip out of the crowd and creep into the ring until he scooped up the chair and clobbered Stone Cold over the head with it as he turned around. It was The Storm. The Force of Nature laughed and set the chair on the mat as the Bionic Redneck clutched his head in pain. Matthew Skinner pulled Austin up, then gave him the half-nelson snap suplex he'd been using lately before he looked around at the crowd with an evil look in his eye.  
  
Using his foot, The Storm positioned the chair on the mat, then picked Austin up. He glared right in his eye and gave him the finger before suddenly scooping him up as though for a body slam. But then, to the audience and commentators' horror, he repositioned him in a Tombstone position over the chair. "Oh my God, he's not!" Jim Ross exclaimed.  
  
"I think he is!" Heyman agreed.  
  
"Not the Owendriver!" Pickett said in a shocked whisper.  
  
Sure enough, The Storm kept his arms locked around Austin's inverted waist, then jumped up slightly before dropping back in a seated position, delivering a vicious inverted piledriver onto the steel chair. Stone Cold spasmed once, clutching his neck, but didn't move apart from that, screaming in pain. The Storm stood up, grinning evilly as the show went off the air.  
  
Matthew Skinner had just rebroken Stone Cold Steve Austin's neck, exactly the way it had been broken in the first place by Owen Hart at _Summerslam 1997_ -- with an inverted piledriver.  
  
**more to come-**  
  
Next: The Storm has broken Stone Cold's neck. The Gemini continue to cause problems, and who's the Alliance's fourth entrant in the Women's Title Tournament?  
  
If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.  
  
Apologies about the long delay between chapters. I got involved in other writing projects which distracted me, and I ran into some writer's block with this story. Enjoy!  
  
-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
February 21, 2004 


	28. Of Things To Come

**The Counter-Invasion  
**By: Jay Winger

Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Thursday after the last one.  
Teaser: The Storm has broken Stone Cold's neck. The Gemini continue to cause problems, and who's the Alliance's fourth entrant in the Women's Title Tournament?  
Rating: R - for violence and profanity  
Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.

Previously: The Storm was eerily unresponsive to Vince McMahon's cautions, after being found watching a tape of _Summerslam__ 97_. The Gemini arrived and were promptly dismissed by Billy Rose, who didn't want them antagonizing Undertaker. Christian commentated as **Edge def. Rhyno**, in spite of Christian's interference. It was also announced that the brothers would face each other again at _Wrestlemania -- _in a Ladder Match. The Gemini returned to the arena, attempting to buy off the APA for protection, but pissed off Bradshaw and had an impromptu title defense, in which **Gemini def. APA **to retain. After the match, Undertaker rode out and attacked the Twins with a biker chain, choking out Pollux with it. Victor E and Rose discussed the recent respectful rivalry between Victor and Rob Van Dam, with Victor assuring Rose he wasn't going to defect. RVD showed up and agreed that he wouldn't try to recruit Victor, but that he'd always be there in the Alliance for Victor if he changed his mind. Victor returned the sentiment. Test showed up after the CIWers left and had angry words with RVD over the matter. In the main event, **Stone Cold def. Booker T **after several finisher reversals, but after the match, The Storm turned up, attacking Austin with a chair, then revisited _Summerslam__ 97_ by giving Austin the infamous "Owendriver" (inverted piledriver) onto the steel chair, rebreaking Austin's neck to end the show.

**FYI: List of Champions:  
WWF World **- Triple H (WECW) / **WCW World **- The Storm (WWF)  
**Intercontinental **- Christian (WECW) / **U.S. **- Victor E (CIW)  
**WWF Tag **- Dudley Boyz (WECW) / **WCW Tag **- The Gemini (CIW)  
**Light-Heavyweight **- X-Pac (WWF) / **Cruiserweight **- Billy Kidman (WECW)  
**European **- vacant / **Women's **- vacant / **Hardcore **- Rob Van Dam (WECW)

* * *

**Chapter 28: Of Things To Come  
****Thursday: _Smackdown!_, March 13 - 10 days to _Wrestlemania

* * *

_**

_Smackdown! _kicked off with a video package, highlighting the brewing animosity between The Storm and Stone Cold, culminating with the end of _Raw _the Monday before, with The Storm delivering an inverted piledriver on a chair. The fans started booing after the video package aired, then cheered as the opening credits and pyros played.

As the smoke cleared, the TitanTron lit up with the opening lines of "No Chance." There was a dip in the cheers as Vince McMahon strode down the ramp, accompanied by Billy Rose. As they got in the ring with microphones, Vince spoke, "All right, all right, cut the music." He paused for a moment, then continued, "After what happened on Monday, I have a few things to address. First and foremost is, of course, the WCW Champion, Matthew Skinner." The crowd booed heavily at the mention of the Force of Nature. "Matthew Skinner has become a liability to the WWF, and while I would like nothing more than to fire him for his actions last Monday on _Raw_, at the same time, I cannot fire him because the Alliance will snap him up in a split second."

The chairman paused again as the crowd made their feelings known, then went on. "Matthew Skinner will not be here tonight, but he will explain his reasons for attacking Stone Cold live via satellite from our studios in Stamford, Connecticut. Tonight, we'll get a glimpse inside the mind of The Storm! Hopefully, we'll also get some answers." He turned to Rose. "Now, onto other matters, namely, the WCW Tag Team Champions, Castor and Pollux. Billy Rose, the Gemini are members of your CIW contingent, aren't they?"

Rose sighed and raised his mic. "Yes, Vince, they are."

"And are you -- and by 'you,' I mean CIW -- are you or are you not fighting the Invasion on the side of the WWF?"

"Yes, Vince, we are," the CIW ringleader agreed. He raised his hand. "I know what you're going to say, Vince. You want to know why Castor and Pollux keep antagonizing the Undertaker and Kane. Now, I can't claim to be psychic, I don't know exactly _what_ they're thinking, but I can give you some insight." He spread his hands. "Back in CIW, the Gemini were, arguably, the greatest tag team on the West Coast. They didn't back down from a single challenge, and they defeated everyone they came across. They might have lost now and again, but everyone they faced, they took down. The Gemini have even beaten Brick, and you know that's not easy to do, Vince." McMahon grudgingly nodded.

Rose went on: "So now they're in the same federation as the Undertaker and Kane, a team that has been said to be unbeatable. The Twins saw that as a challenge, and took it upon themselves to meet that challenge. Which they did." Now he stepped forward toward Vince. "But understand this, Vince, the Twins were pushed into this. They would have been quite content to just beat Taker and Kane and walk away. But Taker and Kane kept pushing them back. Castor and Pollux don't respond well to that sort of thing, so they did what they usually do to those sort of threats. They remove them from the equation."

"They powerbombed Kane off the stage!" Mr. McMahon snapped angrily. "They're making the WWF and CIW fight amongst themselves! You were supposed to level the playing field, you and CIW, but we're worse off now than when we started!"

"Understand, Vince, that while I might be calling the shots with CIW, I still don't have a lot of respect with all of them," the Californian pointed out. "There's still a lot of resentment over my leaving CIW back before it folded. Now, they'll take my advince, and they'll listen to me, more or less, but they're still angry at me."

Vince glowered at him. "Well, they'd better step in line. Because tonight, in this very ring, the Undertaker is going to settle some of his issues with them. So it's going to be one of the Gemini versus the Undertaker, tonight!" The fans cheered.

Rose smiled and nodded. "That sounds absolutely fine by me, Vince. We also need to deal with the matter of the WWF's titles that are currently being held by members of the Alliance. Firstly, the WWF Tag Champions, the Dudleys." He smiled. "With your permission, Vince, I would like the authority to make their matches for tonight."

"Permission granted," Vince said without hesitation.

"All right, then. Tonight, in this very ring, we'll see D-Von Dudley take on the walking, talking 'Blue Streak,' Zeta, in singles competition, and Bubba Ray Dudley will take on the man with the strongest right hand in the business, the 'Bruiser from Baltimore,' Zed." Cheers followed this announcement. Rose smiled. "And just to make sure that bastard Triple H doesn't have an easy night, let's give him a bit of a challenge to warm him up for _Wrestlemania_. Tonight, 'The Game' will take on the seven-foot-tall, five-hundred-pound Big Show." Big cheers for this as well.

Vince gave a broad smile. "Well, by God, Billy, I think you've got a talent for this. Those matches are on!" Another eruption of cheers, which then turned into boos as the opening strains of "This is Extreme" started up. Wearing his usual arrogant smirk, Paul Heyman strode out, microphone in hand. He stopped at the top of the stage, flanked by Palumbo and O'Haire, who were apparently serving as his bodyguards.

"Ah-_hem_, ah-_hem_!" Heyman elaborately made a show of clearing his throat. This just served to annoy the crowd. The ECW mastermind smirked at the two men in the ring. "It seems to me that you gentlemen -- and I use the term lightly -- have forgotten that, as WCW's championships are our property, this gives _the __Alliance_ the authority to book the champions' matches! And as our titles are held by _your_ wrestlers, Mr. McMahon, this means _we_ get to book their matches." He seemed to finally notice his two bodyguards, and added, "Oh, and by the way, in case anyone gets any dumb ideas, like jumping me, Mr. O'Haire and Mr. Palumbo are providing me with some extra security tonight."

The two dethroned WCW Tag Champs both glowered menacingly at the booing fans. Heyman smiled again. "Firstly, Billy, your top dog in CIW, Victor E, will put his United States Championship on the line tonight in singles competition." He gave an evil little chuckle. "And just to make sure the WWF/CIW Coalition has more troubles, his opponent tonight will be the man you like to call the 'Act of God,' Scion." Boos followed this, while Rose seethed in the ring, looking at Heyman with utter loathing. The ECW mastermind just smiled again. "And by the way, Vince, my associates and I in the Alliance leadership thank you for booking the Gemini's match tonight. That match is still on." He shook his head. "I hardly have to do anything, Vince, you and Mr. Rose and everyone else in the WWF and CIW are doing our job for us."

Heyman shared a chuckle with his two bodyguards, then spoke again. "By the way, tonight is the last quarterfinal match for the Women's Championship Tournament, gentlemen (again, I use the term lightly), and our fourth and final entrant is here, and she will tear through everyone in her path to claim what she deserves. Tonight, the road to _Wrestlemania_ will be paved with the bodies of the WWF and CIW, as the Alliance attains its rightful place in our industry."

The ECW mastermind and his bodyguards prepared to leave, but then Rose spoke up. "Hey, Paulie!" The three men stopped. "You know, I have to admit, you _are_ one of the smartest men in the business. I will give you that. But, Paul, _I_ am the Mental Elite. If you think causing the WWF/CIW Coalition to attack itself is going to stop us from winning this war, you are dead wrong. There's always been internal power struggles within our two companies, Paul, and here's what you need to keep in mind: we're still here!" The crowd popped. "Vince McMahon defeated WCW. He drove it back and survived the Monday Night War. CIW only lost because the extreme wrestling niche had already been filled by a corpulent bingo-hall promoter who kept _losing_ his television deals because of the illegal things he put on his show. It makes me _sick_, Paul, that the reason my company folded is because people would rather have watched the garbage you put on TV instead of the product I would have given them."

Rose paused as the fans cheered him on, then continued. "Paul Heyman, you go back to those little maggots you take your marching orders from, and you tell them that the Coalition will not stop until we are carted off in body bags. We will fight to the _death_!"

Vince McMahon stepped forward now. "You're damn right we will!" he growled, to a huge pop. "I've fought and beaten better men than the likes of you, Paul Heyman, and if you think you and my ungrateful children are going to take me down, you haven't got a _chance in HELL!_"

The segment ended with the fans cheering on Vince and Rose, while Heyman, Palumbo, and O'Haire glared from the ramp.

* * *

The fans were still hyped for the show when the first match of the night, Zeta versus D-Von Dudley, came up. By order of WWF Commissioner William Regal, and the extra enforcement of Brick, both Zed and Bubba Ray were banned from ringside. In the early stages, Zeta kept D-Von on his toes with his lightning fast style, attacking quickly and without hesitation. Soon, however, he missed a somersault plancha to the outside and landed on the floor when D-Von jumped aside. This allowed the Dudley Boy to take Zeta into the ring and start picking him apart, putting a lot of focus on the neck, in preparation for either his super neckbreaker or diving reverse DDT finisher. 

Zeta managed to rally late in the match, and looked to have the match won after nailing an enzuigiri which all but knocked D-Von unconscious. When Zeta went to the top rope for a Zetasault, however, the Dudley jumped up, clobbered him in the back, then climbed up to grab his head and bend it back over his shoulder. With a leap, D-Von jumped out into the ring, hauling Zeta out in his super neckbreaker. A three-count later, D-Von had won.

The ring cleared and prepped for the next match, which was the last quarterfinal match for the Women's Title. The crowd popped as the opening chords of Lita's theme "LoveFuryPassionEnergy" by Boy Hits Car played. The Xtreme Diva ran out on stage and pumped her hands in the air, flashing the "guns" sign, then ran down to the ring, sliding in and posing on the corners. She brushed her red hair back out of her eyes, then bounced on her feet in wait.

"The Alliance has offered up Mighty Molly, Stacy Keibler, and Ivory for the tournament so far," Michael Cole noted from ringside. "But the Alliance leadership has been relatively silent about their fourth entrant. Tazz, anything you can tell us?"

"I'm as much in the dark as you guys are," the thug from Red Hook said to Cole and Jim Pickett. "Shane and Steph and Paul haven't been telling me anything."

Lita's music finally faded. There was a moment's silence, and then a saxophone chord rang in the arena, accompanied by dark slow rock music. A very jazzy theme, which suited the woman who stalked out of the entrance, standing firm and raising her arms up, flexing her impressive biceps. Her name flashed on the TitanTron over clips from ECW. _Jazz_.

"It's Jazz!" Tazz exclaimed. "Holy cow, Lita's in for it now!"

Jazz wore a simple black outfit, but over this she wore a hooded jacket like a boxer would wear, sleeveless. She threw the hood back, then threw the jacket at the base of the ramp as she stomped down and stepped through the ropes. As soon as the bell rang, which was just after Jazz finished coming into the ring, she bum-rushed Lita, grabbing her around the waist, hauling her up and slamming her down hard in a modified Bossman Slam. The crowd and the announcers were impressed and surprised at the speed and strength of the ECW diva.

Lita managed to kick out of the quick cover that Jazz made. Without hesitating, the New Orleans native started pummeling the Xtreme Diva with stiff right hands and forearms. Backing Lita into the corner, she struck her hard, then moved out to get a head of steam for a charging avalanche. Lita dove out of the way, however, and Jazz plowed into the turnbuckle. The fans cheered as Lita promptly started attacking with right hands of her own, but Jazz got up and shrugged them off as if they were nothing more than spitwads. She delivered a stiff kick to the stomach, then snared Lita with a double-underhook and suplexed her hard. Jazz stood up and spread her arms to the crowd. "The bitch is back, now!" she yelled.

Behind her, Lita managed to nip to her feet, but Jazz blocked her offense and kicked her in the stomach again. This time, the ECW diva shot off the ropes and came back with a ferocious kneelift to the side of the head. Next, Jazz backed up and delivered a high legdrop, then covered for a near-fall. Jazz just sneered and got up, backed up and prepared to deliver a running big splash. This time, however, Lita rolled out of the way, so the aggressive woman hit the mat hard. Lita rolled out of the ring quickly to get her breath back, but Jazz recovered much quicker than the Xtreme Diva expected. She rolled out and attempted to attack Lita, but she fought back, bouncing Jazz's head off the apron a few times. She went to whip Jazz into the ring steps, but Jazz reversed it and Lita plowed into them back first. Jazz didn't let up, she delivered a bearhug, lifted Lita up and drove her spine into the post.

The action returned to the ring, as the relentless Jazz continued her assault on Lita's back. She delivered elbows to the back and wrenched in a vicious rear chinlock, driving her knee into the back to increase the pain. When the WWFer started to get back up, Jazz lifted her knee back and drove it forward again, but released the chinlock. The announcers were clamoring over Jazz's aggressiveness. Lita had hardly gotten any offense in, and she was one of their top wrestlers. Jazz pulled Lita to her feet, stood behind her, and applied a double chicken-wing from behind before lifting Lita over her head in a painful submission hold. After several long, excruciating moments, Jazz threw Lita face-first to the mat in front of her, then promptly dropped another stiff elbow on her back. Before Lita could move, Jazz snared a leg and then locked her hands across her face in an STF. Lita screamed in pain as her neck and back were stretched painfully. She struggled in vain to reach the ropes, but it was to no avail. As she reached the minute-mark in the submission hold, she finally slapped her hand on the mat.

Jazz just sneered in triumph as she kept the hold locked in for almost a minute longer before she released Lita, who slumped to the mat. Jazz stood up, basking in the jeers and boos from the crowd, while she flexed her biceps again and raised her hand in victory. The referee stooped to check on Lita, who hadn't gotten up, then summoned medics to the ring as Jazz walked up the ramp, shouting at the crowd. "I'm gonna be the champ, baby! Queen Bitch Number One!"

"I hate to say this," Michael Cole said quietly, "but it appears we have found the Alliance's ringer for the Women's Title."

* * *

Backstage, Victor E taped up his wrists and tied his boots. Billy Rose walked in. "Hey, Vic, got a minute?" 

"Sure, Billy." Victor stood up, picking up his U.S. Title and putting it over his shoulder. "What d'you need?"

Rose sighed. "It's this match that Heyman put you in with Scion. You know how I feel about Coalition guys fighting each other."

"Yeah, Billy, it's okay," Victor spread his hands. "Nothing you can do. Scion knows the score. We won't go easy on each other, but we're not gonna tear each other to little wet bits either. No worries."

"Yeah, thanks for that," the CIW ringleader said. "But there's something else. Just something doesn't feel right..."

"Billy, relax!" Victor grinned. "Ain't nothing gonna keep the Triumphant One down. I'm Victor E, baby! I'm not gonna let the Coalition down." He clapped Rose on the shoulder, then headed out to the ring for his match.

* * *

Victor held the belt high and flashed his V-for-Victor E hand sign as he posed in the ring. His music played as he bounced back and forth on his feet to keep himself limber and quick in preparation. The crowd was cheering for him, as he had, in recent weeks, put on a series of good matches, and he'd also shut up the annoying Chris "Who Betta Than" Kanyon. He handed the belt to the ref, who held it as Victor's music wound down. 

The lights dimmed as the somber, dirge-like theme of Scion played. The black-robed wrestler walked out, hands clasped around his silver cross as he silently prayed to himself before the match. His golden blond hair hung over his shadowed face as he slowly reached the bottom of the ramp, raising a hand and making the sign of the cross at it before climbing the steps and coming through the ropes. He knelt and faced the corner, finishing his prayer, and stood, turning to face Victor. The last CIW Champion held out his hand in a sign of good sportsmanship. The robed figure lowered his hands, looked at the outstretched hand, then abruptly swung his foot up and slammed it into Victor's face in a Big Boot.

Everyone in the arena gasped and stared in shock as Victor crumpled. The robed man reached up and pulled back his hood, revealing it was not Scion underneath, but Test!

Victor started to get up, but Test sneered and put the boots to the Californian's head, hauling him upright, then taking the cross in his hand and striking him across the head with it. He did this several times, until he drew blood. Test laughed and picked the bloodied champion up, holding his head under his arm in a reverse DDT position. He held Victor there, snarled, then swung under and down, until he landed on his back and Victor's face slammed into the mat in the 'Test Drive.' He was about to continue the assault when Brick, Smoker, and Hal Maxim came charging down to the ring. Test dropped the bloody cross and slid out of the ring, ducking around and up the ramp as the CIWers converged to check on Victor. The WCW turncoat grinned and threw off the robe as he left. He made the "I want the belt" sign and raised his arms in smug triumph.

* * *

As the top of the hour rolled around, the announcers spoke to the camera and viewers at home. "Ladies and gentlemen," Michael Cole said, "as you are aware, Stone Cold Steve Austin was seriously injured last Monday on _Raw_ at the hands of 'The Storm' Matthew Skinner. Stone Cold had just pinned Booker T when The Storm jumped in the ring and attacked him with a steel chair, but it didn't end there. The Storm then picked Stone Cold up and gave him a piledriver onto a steel chair. Early reports from the doctors say that his neck _has_ been broken again, and his eligibility to compete for the WCW Championship at _Wrestlemania_ is now in question. Earlier today, The Storm was at our studios in Stamford, and recorded this message, explaining his actions."

* * *

The Storm sat in a chair in a dim-lit room. He wore a simple black T-Shirt with no slogan or catchphrase on it, and no sunglasses. The recent scars from his constant wounds to his forehead were there, and it almost seemed as though there was still dried blood on his face under his eyes, but of course that was just a trick of the light. He just stared into the camera, not speaking to it, not really speaking to anyone, but making his thoughts voiced. 

"Who was the popular wrestler of our time? Who has sold more merchandise than any other? Who sold out more venues than anyone? Who's the biggest hellraiser in the WWF? Who is the toughest S.O.B.?" He chuckled. "Everyone knows the answer: Stone Cold Steve Austin. "There are similarities between us. We're both former King of the Ring winners. We're both former Intercontinental Champions, former Tag Team Champions. We're both known for our smash-mouth, in-your-face brawling-style of wrestling, mixed with excellent technical skill. We're both tough-as-nails, all-go, absolutely no-quit, never-say-die, never-surrender, no-mercy. We're both survivors of bloodbaths, street fights, and Hell in a Cell matches. He's a former World Champion, while I am a current World Champion -- holder of the WCW World Heavyweight Championship."

The Storm's face suddenly hardened and his voice took on an edge. "But his time is over. His time was 1996, when he won the King of the Ring, when he ushered in the age of Austin 3:16 with those immortal words – 'Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your ass!' His time was 1997, when he poured his blood all over the mat in his war with Bret 'The Hitman' Hart. His time was 1998, when he won over the 'Heartbreak Kid' Shawn Michaels, and become the WWF Champion. His time was 1999, when he overcame the Corporation and won the WWF Championship again. _That_ was his time. He slashed his hand through the air. "Austin's time is _over_. It's 2003, and it's _my _time now." He thrust his thumb into his chest. "_I_ am the new hellraiser. _I_ am the toughest S.O.B. now. "The reason I gave Austin that piledriver last Monday was because Austin had _no idea _what awaited him. He does not realize that I am just as deadly as a Rattlesnake. In fact, I am deadlier. A snake may choose not to bite you. A snake might get scared off if you strike it first. But I am not a snake. I am a Force of Nature. And you cannot scare off a Force of Nature. There is no chance that a Force of Nature will pass you by if you stand in its path. I cannot be intimidated. All his little head games will just make it worse for him, because like a bolt of lightning, my wrath is hot and _focused_. He thinks because he's had a broken neck that he knows what pain is? He has _no idea_. When he comes to _Wrestlemania_-- and I know he will because his pride demands it -- when he comes to the ring, I will break him down, I will break his neck, and then -- _then_, after he lies broken on the mat, bloodied and battered -- he will know what pain is."

The sudden rush of anger faded, and The Storm sat back, an eerie smile on his face. "1996 started the Era of Austin. He was the man everybody wanted to beat. He took on all comers and never backed down. Now it is 2003, and thanks to the title I'm holding, now _I_ am the guy with the bull's-eye on his back. Now _I_ am the one who takes on everybody and never backs down. As I said before, his time is over. At _Wrestlemania_, the Era of Austin will come to an end. A new era will begin – _my _Era. As far as Austin is concerned, Monday night was his Storm Warning. Today is just a simple restatement of the facts: Austin, it's time for you... to prepare... for _pain_."

Then, still smiling his evil little smile, The Storm pulled off his mic, stood up, and left.

* * *

After that chilling message, and a commercial break, Lillian Garcia stood backstage with the Gemini. They were wearing tight long-sleeve shirts, showing off their physique, but one of them wore bandages around his neck. "Castor, Pollux," she began, but the unbandaged one interrupted her. 

"_He_'s Pollux, _I'm_ Castor." Castor sniffed and folded his arms. Lillian stared at him, until he glared and gestured impatiently. "Go on."

"Tonight, one of you will be taking on the Undertaker in a one-on-one match-up. The Undertaker's been coming after you both since you attacked his brother, Kane."

"S'right, Lillian," Castor said. "The old dog's getting a bit upset, because there's two big dogs angling to take over his little yard. He just don't wanna accept the fact that me and Pol are going to kick the old dog to the curb. His little bike and chain don't scare us, Lillian. It _pisses us off_." He pointed to Pollux. "Look what he did to Pollux! He hasn't been able to eat solid food all week! He can't even talk!" He glared. "Well, since Undertaker's so _respected_," he spat out the word so that there wasn't any _in_ the word, "we'll be generous, even though he doesn't deserve it for what he's done to Pollux."

He smirked and stood up straight. "If Undertaker can beat me, Castor, tonight, in that very ring, then we will grant him and Kane a WCW Tag Team Title shot at _Wrestlemania_. Nothing too difficult, yeah?" He smirked at Lillian, then left with his brother in tow.

The match went about as well as it might be expected for the Twin. He got very little offense in. The Undertaker beat him from pillar to post for three straight minutes, before finally heaving him high and chokeslamming him for the pin. When he stood up and posed in victory, the Twin rolled out of the ring and joined his brother on the ramp. Then the bandaged one raised a mic. "Hey, Taker!" The Dead Man turned around. The Twin grinned and removed the bandages. "Guess what? No title-shot for you! Oh yeah! That's right! You did pin my brother tonight, but guess what?"

Now the Twin who had just been beaten pulled his shirt off, exposing the tattoos on his arms. Now both of them were grinning. Castor, the one with the mic, laughed. "That's right, Taker! You pinned Pollux! I said if you pinned _me_, _Castor_, we'd give you a title-shot. Better luck next time!" The Twins laughed and turned to leave.

_FWOOOM_. Red flames erupted at the top of the ramp, and the towering form of the masked Kane stormed out. The Gemini recoiled in alarm as he made a beeline for them. They retreated, but Undertaker was blocking the exit by the ring. The Twins looked one way, looked the other, then jumped the barricade and hauled ass through the crowds to escape the vengeful Brothers of Destruction.

* * *

The last match before the main event (Triple H versus the Big Show) was between Zed and Bubba Ray Dudley. Zed was out to even the score after D-Von beat Zeta earlier in the night, while Bubba Ray was out to prove his team was the more dominant tag-team in the business. They went toe-to-toe for a while, trading punches, but soon Zed's boxing experience shone through as he beat Bubba back into the corner and walloped him senseless with shots to the head and body. Bubba got the momentum back with a thumb to the eyes, then started going after the legs, to keep the Bruiser from Baltimore off his feet. 

Bubba dropped elbows galore on the knees and head of the Z-Man, but could not keep him down long enough for the pin. He took him outside and bashed his head off the barricade, and the ring post, but still Zed refused to stay down. Finally, as he bounced Zed's head off the turnbuckle, Bubba Ray got taken back as the Z-Man began to shake his head, snarling. He swung around and aimed a back elbow, but Bubba ducked under and aimed a slap at his bare chest. Zed cringed, but stood back up, glaring. Bubba did it again, and this time Zed unloaded a strong right hand, a straight punch: the Jawbuster.

Bubba staggered back, but before he could fall over, Zed kicked him in the stomach, hooked his head and whipped him around in the Z-Slam. A three-count later, Zed had evened up the score with the Dudleys and built up some momentum for himself and Zeta going into _Wrestlemania_.

* * *

The main event proved interesting. It was a non-title match, but that didn't stop the Big Show from doing everything in his considerable power to prevent Triple H from walking out under his own power. The early going was more of a game (no pun intended) of cat-and-mouse as Triple H ran from the giant and thought up a strategy. Finally, the Game started to attack Big Show's legs, trying to fell the giant so he couldn't bring his immense strength to bear. This didn't quite work, as even with only one good knee, he could still throw the Cerebral Assassin around like a rag-doll. 

Despite this, Triple H was able to use his usual underhanded techniques (aided by the fact that Nick Patrick was refereeing) to obtain the advantage with some well-placed and -timed low-blows and even a chair-shot. Just for the look of the thing, he beat on Big Show some more in the corner, then started to set him up for the Pedigree. Big Show, however, was starting to shake off the cobwebs, and threw the Game off. He went to charge him in the corner, but Triple H dove aside, and left Patrick to take the brunt of it. Another low-blow and chair-shot later, he set the giant up and gave him the Pedigree in the middle of the ring.

That's when Chris Jericho jumped out of the crowd and slid into the ring. Before Triple H could turn around, Y2J charged, grabbed his head, and bulldogged him onto the chair, then followed it up with the Lionsault. Jericho grinned and ran up the ramp as Show came around and dropped his upper body across the Game's. Patrick came around and (probably without realizing the wrong guy was making the cover) counted the three.

As Big Show came around, Jericho smirked at Triple H, who glared from the mat as he realized his hated nemesis had just one-upped him again in their feud, and he had a week left to get his revenge before he had to deal with the Y2J Problem at _Wrestlemania_.

* * *

**-more to come-**

* * *

Next: The last _Raw_ before _Wrestlemania_. The Storm has sworn to end the 'Era of Austin,' Chris Jericho is building up steam against Triple H, and the Coalition has become a veritable powder-keg as internal problems continue to build. 

Author's Note: Hey! Sorry it took so long. Writer's block sucks. Hopefully the next chapter won't take so long to write!

If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line!

-=Jay 2K Winger=-  
August 19, 2004


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